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Crown Prosecution Service Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2007 - 2008

Crown Prosecution Service Performance

Associate Prosecutors

Increase the number of magistrates’ courts sessions covered by associate prosecutors.

Met - 20.4% of all available magistrates’ courts sessions were covered by associate prosecutors (target 20%)

HCAs

Increase in the percentage of advocacy dealt with in-house.

Met - Counsel savings of the Service has exceeded its 07/08 counsel fee savings target (ex VAT) of £15.1m achieving £17.1m, 113% of the YTD target.

Increase in counsel savings made through HCA deployment.

Met - In 2007/08 counsel fee savings equate to 16.4% of the Graduated Fee Scheme advocacy value (based on 2007/08 GFS (Graduated Fee Scheme is)advocacy value).

Attrition

Reduction in unsuccessful outcomes in magistrates' courts.

Met - Unsuccessful outcomes in magistrates’ courts 14.3% (target 15%)

Reduction in unsuccessful outcomes in the Crown Court.

Not Met - Unsuccessful outcomes in Crown Court 20.7% (target 20%)

CMS

Increase to 90% the number of cases with a pre-charge decision.

Met - Number of cases with a pre-charge decision 98.4% (target 90%).

Increase to 90% the number of cases with a Crown Court trial having completed a full file review.

Met - Number of cases with a full file review 95.2% (90%).

Charging

A reduction in the discontinuance rate for magistrates’ courts activity

Not Met - discontinuance rate for magistrates’ courts 14.7% (target 11%). Crown Court pre charge discontinuance 12.9% (target 11%)

A reduction in the discontinuance rate for Crown Court activity

Not Met - Pre charge discontinuance rate for Crown Court 12.9% (target 11%)

An increase in the guilty plea rate for magistrates’ courts activity.

Met - Guilty plea rate for magistrates’ courts 73.3% (target 52%).

An increase in the guilty plea rate for Crown Court activity.

Met - Guilty plea rate for Crown Court 72.5% (target 68%)

Hate Crime

Reduction in unsuccessful outcomes for hate crime.

Not Met - Unsuccessful outcomes for hate crime 29.1% (target 28%)

Ineffective Trials

A reduction in ineffective trials in the magistrates’ courts.

Met - Ineffective trials in the magistrates’ courts 18.3% (target 19%).

A reduction in ineffective trials in Crown Court.

Met - Ineffective trials in the Crown Court performance 11.7% (target 14%) [figures based on a rolling quarter as of February 2008]

Proceeds of Crime

Assets recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Met - Nationally the number of confiscation orders obtained and the total value of confiscation orders was above target in 07-08, both at 103% against target.  Restraint is well above target with performance at 172% against target.

No Witness No Justice

A reduction in the combined cracked and ineffective rates for the magistrates’ courts and Crown Court.  An increase in witness attendance in both the magistrates’ courts and Crown Court

Not Met - Magistrates’ courts combined ineffective and cracked trial rate 8.0% (target 5.3%).  Crown Court combined ineffective and cracked trial rate 3.9% (target 3.3%).  Witness attendance 84% (target 87%)

Victims’ Code

Target 100%  (timeliness, victim and witness timeliness).

Not Met - Victims’ Code proxy target 87%, timeliness 77%, timeliness for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses was 60%

Sickness Absence

Reduce sickness absence rate

Not Met - The rolling average number of sick days per employee was 9.4 days (target 7 days)

All figures are for the period 2007/08 unless otherwise stated