Summary of Performance and Achievements
Aim
The CPS works in partnership with the police, courts, Home Office, DCA and other agencies throughout the 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 promotes 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 valued 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.
Police
- Increased detection rate brings more offenders into the justice process
- Fixed Penalty Notices used to stamp out antisocial behaviour
- Prolific offenders pursued relentlessly
CPS
- Advice is available to police 24/7
- Charge determined by CPS
- Prepares and presents cases for prosecution
- Supports witnesses through the process
- Enhanced prosecutor role in sentencing
Courts
- Encourages 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
National Offender Management Service
- Swift action taken where community penalties are breached
- Drug-using criminals receive treatment
Youth Justice Board
- Continued drive to reduce re-offending
Every Criminal Justice Agency
- Participates in Local Criminal Justice Boards (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 was reported upon within the Law Officers' Departments Departmental Report 2007. The Annual Report 2006-07 details performance against social, community, and economic aspects throughout the report with a specific section on environmental issues on page 38.
Cases for advice and prosecution
- In 2006-07 the CPS took pre-charge decisions in 584,216 cases, compared with 570,757 in 2005- 06. The CPS prosecuted a total of 1,091,250 defendant cases, including straightforward cases charged by the police, in magistrates' courts and in the Crown Court, compared with 1,176,112 in the previous year.
Case results
- During 2006-07, 842,022 defendants were convicted in magistrates' courts and 71,738 were convicted in the Crown Court. The CPS made a substantial contribution to the CJS target of narrowing the justice gap.
- The percentage of cases discontinued in magistrates' courts continued to fall, from 13.8% in 2003-04 to 12.5% in 2004-05, 11.6% in 2005-06, and 10.8% in 2006-07.
- Unsuccessful outcomes in magistrates' courts fell from 21.1% of all outcomes in 2003-04 to 19.2% in 2004-05, 17.2% in 2005-06 and 15.7% in 2006-07.
- In the Crown Court, unsuccessful outcomes fell from 25.4% of outcomes in 2003-04 to 24.2% in 2004-05, 22.8% in 2005-06 and 22.3% in 2006-07.
- Overall, unsuccessful outcomes fell from 21.4% of all outcomes in 2003-04 to 19.6% in 2004-05, 17.7% in 2005-06 and 16.3% in 2006-07; while convictions rose from 78.6% during 2003-04 to 80.4% in 2004-05, 82.3% in 2005-06 and 83.7% in 2006-07.
Percentage Unsuccessful Outcomes
People
- At the end of March 2007, the CPS employed a total of 8,405 people, 221 more than at the same time the previous year. This includes 2,879 prosecutors and 4,908 caseworkers and administrators. Over 92% of all staff are engaged in, or support, frontline prosecutions. The CPS has 838 prosecutors able to present cases in the Crown Court and in the Higher Courts and 390 DCWs able to present cases in magistrates' courts.
Delivery of PSA targets
- Latest available figures show 1.399 million offences brought to justice for the year ending December 2006.
- The proportion of ineffective trials in the Crown Court has reduced from 12.7% in January 2006 to 12.3% in the quarter ending January 2007. For the magistrates' courts, the proportion of ineffective trials has reduced from 21.1% in January 2006 to 19% in January 2007.
- The British Crime Survey (BCS) shows that for the year to December 2006, 42% of people believe the CJS is effective in bringing people who commit crimes to justice, compared with 44% in December 2005; and the number of victims and witnesses who were satisfied with the CJS rose from 59% in December 2005 to 60% in December 2006.
CPS Reform
- Following the rollout of Statutory Charging to all Areas, post-implementation reviews were completed in all Areas by December 2006. CPS Direct continues to support these arrangements by providing an out-of-hours telephone service with experienced lawyers providing police with charging advice throughout the night and at weekends.
- The CPS is continuing to enhance its ability to provide its own, in-house, high quality advocacy in all courts. In 2006-07 there were 2,872 cases listed for trial recorded as being covered by Higher Courts Advocates (HCAs), compared with 955 cases in 2005-06; and DCWs dealt with 14.7% of magistrates' courts sessions, compared with 10.7% in 2005-06.
- No Witness No Justice (NWNJ), a joint CPS and police initiative, has continued to support victims and prosecution witnesses. Witness attendance rates have increased from 77% to 84%, and the number of trials that did not go ahead as planned because a witness failed to attend has fallen by 20.7%.
- The CPS introduced a Single Equality Scheme in December 2006. The Scheme incorporates equality and diversity actions in respect of gender, race, disability, age, religion or belief, and sexuality and gender identity.
- Despite the decision not to proceed with the rationalisation of police force structures, the CPS continued consultation to agree the best way in which to improve the resilience of the organisation for the future, particularly in the need to support Tier 2 crime arising from substantial cross-border, intelligence-led police investigations. This has resulted in a decision to maintain the 42 Area structure and in addition create 14 Areas Groups to handle common issues such as Tier 2 crime. Each group will have a Complex Casework Unit and a group secretariat to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of work undertaken.
- The CPS has undertaken a Cabinet Office Capability Review to assess the Service's capability and capacity now and for the future. The CPS has prepared an action plan and will begin implementing changes throughout 2007-08.
