Summary of CPS Performance and Achievements
Aim
The CPS works in partnership with the police, courts, Home Office, DCA and other agencies throughout the Criminal Justice System (CJS) to reduce crime, the fear of crime, and its social and economic cost; to dispense justice fairly and efficiently and to promote confidence in the rule of law.
The CPS's overall aim, which reflects the Government's priorities for the CJS, is to:
Deliver a high quality prosecution service that brings offenders to justice, helps reduce both crime and the fear of crime and thereby promote public confidence in the rule of law through the consistent fair and independent review of cases and through their fair, thorough and firm presentation at court.
CPS Vision
The CPS is working to become a world-class, independent prosecuting authority that delivers a valued public service by:
- Strengthening the prosecution process to bring offenders to justice: providing an independent prosecution service, working with the police from the outset of a case to its disposal; advising the police before charge; building and testing the strongest possible prosecution case and presenting that case fairly in the courts on behalf of the public.
- Championing justice and the rights of victims: assessing the needs of victims and witnesses and their likely evidence from the outset and throughout the life of the case; making sure their experience of the CPS and the CJS encourages them and others to come forward in future to play their part in bringing offenders to justice.
- Inspiring the confidence of the communities we serve: being visible, open and accountable for our decisions; being responsive to the needs of the community and providing a valuable public service; being seen as the decision makers who decide which cases should be brought to court and bringing them to justice.
- Driving change and delivery in the CJS: as a self-confident leader, influential in delivering local criminal justice and in shaping the CJS of the future.
- Being renowned for fairness, excellent career opportunities and the commitment and skills of all our people: where everyone is treated on merit; where people of ability can rise to the top and where all our people are renowned for their commitment, skills and dedication to justice.
- Having a strong capability to deliver: by transforming HQ support to frontline delivery, securing value for money and efficiencies to reinvest in frontline prosecution services; improving the management of prosecution costs; harnessing IT to support CPS business; and delivering through effective programme and project management.
A Joined-up CJS
Police
- Increased detection rate brings more offenders into the justice process
- Fixed Penalty Notices used to stamp out anti-social behaviour
- Prolific offenders pursued relentlessly
joined to
Crown Prosecution Service
- Advice is available to police 24/7
- Charge determined by CPS
- Prepares cases for prosecution
- Supports witnesses through the process
- Enhanced prosecutor role in sentencing
joined to
Courts
- Encourage alternative ways of resolving disputes
- Where cases come to court, they are dealt with efficiently
- Specialist courts deal with domestic violence, anti-social behaviour and organised crimes
- Trials take place on scheduled day
- Court buildings and facilities tailored to witness needs
- Community engaged in justice process
- Sentences are effective
joined to
National Offender Management Service
- Swift action taken where community penalties are breached
- Drug-using criminals receive treatment
and also joined to
Youth Justice Board
- Continued drive to reduce reoffending
and all joined to
Every Criminal Justice Agency
- Participates in LCJBs
- Treats victims and witnesses as individuals
- Has motivated staff providing excellent customer service
- Enforces decisions and penalties of the court swiftly and effectively, with high risk offenders fast-tracked
- Works to eliminate racial discrimination
Sustainable Development
In March 2005 the Government published 'Securing The Future', an updated Strategy for Sustainable Development in the UK. The Strategy set out the Government's overall plans and required all government departments to draw up proposals for tackling sustainable development issues. The CPS as part of the Law Officers' Departments has completed an action plan which will be reported on in 2006-07. The Annual Report details performance against social, community, and economic aspects throughout the report with a specific section on environmental issues on page 36.
Cases for Advice and Prosecution
- In 2005-06 the CPS took pre-charge decisions in 570,757 cases, an increase of 29.4% from 2004-05. The CPS prosecuted a total of 1,176,112 defendant cases in magistrates' courts and in the Crown Court, compared with 1,262,815 in the previous year.
Case Results
- During 2005-06, 895,822 defendants were convicted in magistrates' courts and 72,351 were convicted in the Crown Court. The CPS made a substantial contribution to the CJS target of narrowing the justice gap, although only the serious offences fall within the scope of this measure.
- The percentage of cases discontinued in magistrates' courts continued to fall, from 13.8% in 2003-04 to 12.5% in 2004-05, and 11.6% in 2005-06.
- Unsuccessful outcomes in magistrates' courts fell from 21.1% of all outcomes in 2003-04 to 19.2% in 2004-05 and to 17.2% in 2005-06.
- In the Crown Court, unsuccessful outcomes fell from 25.4% of outcomes in 2003-04 to 24.2% in 2004-05 and 22.8% in 2005-06.
- Overall, unsuccessful outcomes fell from 21.4% of all outcomes in 2003-04 to 19.6% in 2004-05, and 17.7% in 2005-06; while convictions rose from 78.6% during 2003-04 to 80.4% in 2004- 05 and 82.3% in 2005-06.
People
- At the end of March 2006, the CPS employed a total of 8,184 people, 376 more than at the same time the previous year. This includes 2,832 prosecutors and 4,731 caseworkers and administrators. Over 92% of all staff are engaged in, or support, frontline prosecutions. The CPS has 604 prosecutors able to advocate in the Crown Court and in the Higher Courts and 266 Designated Caseworkers (DCWs) able to present cases in magistrates' courts.
Delivery of Public Service Agreement Targets
- Latest available figures show 1.267 million offences were brought to justice for the year ending December 2005.
- The proportion of ineffective trials in the Crown Court has reduced from 14.4% in March 2005 to 12.7% in January 2006. For the magistrates' courts the proportion of ineffective trials has reduced from 22.7% for the quarter ending March 2005 to 21.1% in the quarter ending January 2006.
- The British Crime Survey shows that for the year to December, 44% of people believe the CJS is effective in bringing people who commit crimes to justice, and the number of victims and witnesses who were satisfied with the CJS rose to 59%
CPS Reform
- Statutory Charging has now been implemented in all 42 Areas, almost 12 months ahead of schedule. CPS Direct, the out-of-hours telephone service which allows experienced prosecutors to work from home to provide police with charging advice throughout the night, continues to support the charging arrangements.
- The CPS is continuing to increase advocacy in the higher courts through its Advocacy Strategy. Higher Courts Advocates (HCAs) in the two pathfinder projects in Hertfordshire and Hampshire and Isle of Wight have advocated in approximately 40% of non-contested and 11% of contested Crown Court hearings. Following guidance from the DPP, DCWs are now able to conduct contested bail hearings and pre-trial reviews in magistrates' courts.
- No Witness No Justice (NWNJ), a joint CPS and police initiative, successfully implemented 165 Witness Care Units in England and Wales by December 2005, which are providing an enhanced level of service to all victims and witnesses where a charge has been brought.
- The COMPASS Case Management System has expanded even further and is now supporting staff in almost 700 sites, with the number of users increasing to 8,900. Approximately four million cases have now been registered on the system.
- The CPS has introduced >invest<, a new pay and workforce strategy that will help the Service develop an effective framework of policies, pay and reward systems. >invest< will reflect current and future business demands, including charging and advocacy, and will set out a clear career path for all staff.
- The NAO report on 'CPS: Effective use of Magistrates' Courts Hearings' identified examples of good practice in the CPS and made 10 recommendations intended to improve the CPS's performance in the magistrates' courts. The report recognises that the criminal justice agencies need to work together more closely to improve the efficiency of the prosecution of magistrates' courts cases.
