The Lord Chancellor's and Law Officers' Departmental Report 1998-1999

	Recent Developments
	Aims and Objectives
	Working Practice Initiatives
	Performance and Achievements
	Initiatives to Secure Value for Money

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The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was established in 1986 to prosecute criminal cases investigated and charged by the police in England and Wales in accordance with the provisions of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. It is headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions and employs some 5,800 staff of whom over 2,000 are Crown Prosecutors.

The role of the CPS is to prosecute criminal cases fairly and effectively by:

• advising the police on cases for possible prosecution
• reviewing cases submitted by the police
• preparing cases for the magistrates' courts and the Crown Court
• efficient and effective advocacy at court and the instruction of private sector advocates where appropriate and
• working with others to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the criminal justice system.

Before proceeding with a prosecution, Crown Prosecutors review each case against the Code for Crown Prosecutors, which lays down two tests. These are:

• whether there is enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction against each defendant on each charge and, if so,
• whether a prosecution is needed in the public interest.

The tests are applied in this order: the CPS cannot prosecute a case unless there is sufficient evidence. The Director is required by statute to produce and publish the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The third edition of the Code was published in June 1994. A revised explanatory memorandum was published in June 1996.

The CPS is a national prosecution service operating through a network of 93 local Branches. Branches are grouped together to form 13 geographical Areas, (but see below) each led by a Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP). There is a fourteenth, non-geographical, Area known as Central Casework, which deals with complex cases and other issues such as extradition. CPS national Headquarters is based in London and York and is organised into three Directorates: Casework Services, Casework Evaluation and Corporate Services.

Further information

Further information on the work of the Crown Prosecution Service may be obtained from:

Bibliography

1996-97 Annual Report of the Crown Prosecution Service (HC 68 July 1997)

CPS Strategy for the 1990s (HMSO December 1990 Revised 1994)

Corporate Plan 1996-97 to 1998-99 and Business Plan 1996-97

Supply Estimates 1997-98: Class VIII Lord Chancellor's and Law Officers' Departments. Class VIII Vote 04: The Crown Prosecution Service

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