Crown Prosecution Service Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2005 - 2006

Director's Letter to the Attorney General

I am pleased to report to you on the performance and reform of the Crown Prosecution Service during 2005-06. This year I have also incorporated the Resource Accounts within this publication, in order to provide a clear breakdown of how our achievements have been funded.

Ken Macdonald QC

The CPS continues to make good progress towards achieving its vision of building a world-class prosecution service. During the past year we have prosecuted over 1.1 million cases, with over 895,000 convictions in the magistrates' courts and over 72,000 in the Crown Court.

Working closely with police colleagues, the CPS has successfully introduced Statutory Charging in all 42 Areas almost one year ahead of schedule - a truly momentous achievement. CPS Prosecutors are now selecting the charge in all but the most minor cases and are operating at the very centre of the Criminal Justice System. As you yourself have noted, Statutory Charging is the single most significant development in the handling of criminal casework since the establishment of the CPS in 1986. At its heart lies a completely transformed relationship between the CPS and the police, working together as a prosecution team to build strong cases right from the start. This partnership has already resulted in an increased number of guilty pleas, reducing the burden on the courts and, most importantly, providing a better service to the victims and witnesses involved in each case.

In addition, our face-to-face charging arrangements continue to be supported by CPS Direct, the national out-of-hours telephone service that allows police to access charging advice throughout the night and at weekends. Over the past year, 123 CPS Direct prosecutors handled 157,150 calls and provided 96,108 charging advices.

The Advocacy Strategy, introduced in 2004, has been a great success with more and more in-house advocates prosecuting in the higher courts. The two pathfinder pilots in Hertfordshire and Hampshire and Isle of Wight have led the way, with approximately 40% of non-contested cases in the Crown Court now being prosecuted by our own lawyers. All Areas are now increasing their use of Higher Courts Advocates, and the extended powers that I introduced for Designated Caseworkers allow them to take on more complex work in the magistrates' courts - fully realising the impressive range of skills that they have acquired.

In October 2005 I introduced three new Casework Divisions, dealing with organised crime, counterterrorism and specialised crime. These divisions were created in order to provide a first class prosecution service to the Serious Organised Crime Agency and ensure that the CPS is capable of dealing with the full range of serious crime. Prosecuting these high profile cases enables CPS staff to demonstrate their skills at the highest levels and contribute to improving public confidence in the Criminal Justice System.

The CPS has continued to use information technology to transform the way it works. We now have almost four million cases registered on the COMPASS Case Management System. Working with colleagues in the Criminal Justice System, the CPS has increased its links with court systems, tested exchanges with police systems, and improved the information available to victims and witnesses through the introduction of the dedicated Witness Management System. In 2006, the CPS launched an Information Systems Strategy which runs to 2008 and provides a framework for us to build on the considerable progress that we have already made.

During the year, the Service also introduced the >invest< programme, which sets out a clear career path for all staff and reflects the future demands on the business in terms of delivering charging and advocacy. Our aim is to create a total reward and benefit package which will recognise and reward high performance within the organisation. This year we also undertook a national campaign to attract external candidates to the Legal Trainee Scheme. We received over 2,000 applications for only 25 posts. This programme of work, along with our continued dedication to developing the skills of all of our people, can only serve to enhance our reputation as an employer of choice.

We continue to promote equality and diversity, both within the organisation and in the communities we serve. This year the Service was acknowledged by the Commission for Racial Equality and the Law Society through the presentation of the Equality Award for best large public sector employer of solicitors. This award demonstrates how far the CPS has evolved, and will continue to improve through the implementation of the CPS Equality & Diversity policy statement and strategy.

I have continued my community engagement meetings, promoting understanding of the work of the Service and engaging in discussion on issues of concern. I have also introduced three pilots to work even more closely with communities and identify ways in which we can build public trust and improve the service that we provide. These pilots will run throughout 2006 and will provide best practice guidance for all of our Areas.

I am proud of these achievements, which show the talent and dedication of all of our staff. Their hard work has already helped to transform the CPS and will be the driver for continued improvements next year.

There are challenges ahead, and I expect all staff to meet them with the same level of tenacity and professionalism that I have already seen throughout this organisation. Charging and advocacy are our key reforms, and they are the bedrock for a strong, independent and effective prosecution service. In addition, our work with communities will help us to develop robust and practical policies that will improve people's quality of life and build trust in the work of the Criminal Justice System.

Ken Macdonald QC

Director of Public Prosecutions