Champions of Justice
The Crown Prosecution Service is the independent authority responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. We are responsible for:
- Advising the police and reviewing the evidence on cases for possible prosecution
- Deciding the charge where the decision is to prosecute
- Preparing cases for court
- Presenting cases at court
The CPS employs around 8,250 people and prosecuted 1,032,598 cases with an overall conviction rate of 86.6% in 2008-2009.
Decision to charge
We advise the police and review evidence to decide how to deal with crime. Sometimes we decide to prosecute cases in court; sometimes we suggest other methods of dealing with a crime.
Find out how we make the decision to charge and have a go at being a Prosecutor.
Being a witness
Witnesses have a vital role to play in bringing criminals to justice. By having the courage to stand up and be a witness you can prevent further crimes being committed and protect others from becoming victims.
Going to court
Once the decision has been made to charge a suspect with a crime we then have to start preparing the case to go to court. Our role includes preparing cases for court and presenting those cases in court.
