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The Role of The Crown Prosecution Service

The Crown Prosecution Service is the government department responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales.

As the principal prosecuting authority in England and Wales, we are responsible for:

  • advising the police on cases for possible prosecution
  • reviewing cases submitted by the police
  • determining any charges in more serious or complex cases
  • preparing cases for court
  • presenting cases at court

Find out more about the role of the Crown Prosecution Service

Home » News Centre » Press Releases » Extended role for CPS caseworkers

Extended role for CPS caseworkers

29/04/2004

Designated caseworkers at the Crown Prosecution Service will be dealing with a wider range of cases at magistrates’ courts after the Director of Public Prosecutions extended the remit of their work this week.

Since 1998 Designated Caseworkers - specially trained lay staff who assist CPS lawyers in the preparation and progress of cases - have presented straightforward guilty plea cases. Their extended role means that they can now handle other non-contentious work at magistrates’ courts, such as early administrative hearings, cases after a guilty plea where the court has ordered a pre-sentence report and applications for the removal of a driving disqualification.

Designated Caseworkers will qualify for the new role once they have successfully completed a training programme and received a personal letter of appointment from the DPP.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Ken Macdonald QC said:

“Caseworkers have always played a very important part in the CPS. Many of them have substantial experience and knowledge of the law and court procedures and I have been keen to extend the work that they are able to do day to day in magistrates’ courts. They are well qualified for it and it is important that we make the most of the skills all our staff have.

“Not only will it make the job more interesting and challenging for those caseworkers who have the right experience and aptitude, and boost their career development, but it will also free up our lawyers to focus their legal and advocacy skills on more serious and contested cases. And it will mean that rather than dealing with routine matters at magistrates’ courts, more of our experienced lawyers will be working as duty prosecutors in charging centres across the country, giving advice to police in the early stages of cases and deciding on the most appropriate charge in each case.”

The Attorney General Lord Goldsmith QC said:

“This extension of powers is a further part of the modernising process underway at the CPS. My vision for the CPS depends on strengthening the prosecution process, putting the CPS at the heart of cases from charge to sentence and from magistrates’ to Crown Court. Caseworkers, embracing their new and enhanced role, will play a key part in making that vision a reality.”
Extended use of Designated Caseworkers at court will also mean more effective use of court time as they will be able to deal with more of the cases in each court session.

The role of Designated Caseworker was first introduced in 1998 and initially allowed trained caseworkers to conduct straightforward guilty pleas in magistrates’ courts. The Director of Public Prosecutions has extended the remit through his powers under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

  1. The Attorney General announced the extended role for Designated Caseworkers in a Written Statement to Parliament on 29 April 2004.
  2. Designated Caseworkers (APs) are now permitted to undertake all work in the magistrates’ court other than:
    • Trials.
    • Proofs in absence in either-way cases.
    • Committals and sendings.
    • Pre-trial reviews.
    • Newton Hearings.
    • Contested Bail Hearings.
    In particular, APs may now deal with the following areas of work:
    • Early administrative hearings, including plea before venue.
    • Presentation in court, but not review, in cases where a youth is charged with an adult and a guilty plea is anticipated.
    • All cases, including Youth Court cases, after guilty plea where the court has ordered a pre-sentence report.
    • Proofs in absence in summary only cases in the adult magistrates’ court except where witnesses have been warned to attend court to give live evidence, whether they in fact give live evidence or not.
    • Proofs in absence in the Youth Court in road traffic cases only except where live evidence is to be heard or where a review decision is required before the proof in absence.
    • Totting-up cases where the defendant seeks to avoid disqualification on the grounds of exceptional hardship.
    • Applications for the removal of a driving disqualification.
    • Upon implementation of section 31 Criminal Justice Act 2003, applications for warrants of first instance.