Completing and embedding the Advocacy Strategy
Advocacy Strategy
Effective in-house advocacy enables the CPS to provide the public with an enhanced level of service. Increased continuity of case ownership enables CPS advocates to demonstrate to victims and witnesses that they have an in-depth knowledge of their case. They can also provide the highest standards of support to victims and witnesses, as they are familiar with their responsibilities under the wide range of CPS policy commitments, such as the Victims' Code, the Prosecutor's Pledge, and the Policy for Prosecuting Cases of Rape.
The CPS continues to increase its own in-house, high quality advocacy in all courts. In the 12 months to 31 March 2009, the number of Crown Advocates (CA) rose from 945 to 1,077. The increase is made up of lawyers from the CPS who have qualified as Crown Advocates, together with a number of direct recruits, and senior advocates from the self-employed Bar, as well as solicitor higher court advocates, who bring significant Crown Court trial experience into the Service. In addition to contributing towards the effective conduct of a wider range of cases, this will also assist with the further development, training and support of other advocates.
The opportunity to conduct serious and challenging cases in the higher court is helping to make the CPS an employer of choice for first-class advocates. This was demonstrated by the appointment of the first CPS in-house lawyer to the rank of Queen's Counsel (QC). In February 2009, Graham Reeds, a Principal Crown Advocate working within the Organised Crime Division, was one of only two employed barristers to be appointed to the rank of Queen's Counsel this year.
Case Study
Graham Reeds (pictured) became the CPS's first in-house lawyer to be appointed to Queen's Counsel in February 2009.
A principal crown advocate working within the CPS's Organised Crime Division, Graham was one of 104 lawyers to gain the coveted title in the 2009 round of appointments. Based in York, he prosecutes some of the most serious and complex cases that the CPS deals with, including drug and people trafficking and money laundering.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC said: "This is a fantastic achievement for Graham personally and for the CPS as an organisation. This appointment is a landmark for CPS in-house advocacy and a real validation of the skills of our advocates. The range of work available to prosecutors in the CPS provides an excellent basis for advocates of skill and ability to develop their careers and to achieve this highest of accolades."
On his appointment Graham said: "I am of course honoured to be appointed to the rank of QC and I have no doubt that the range and complexity of cases that I have dealt with since I have been with the CPS contributed to my success. The support I received from the CPS in pursuing my application was very welcome. It was always clear that they were behind me in my ambition to become a QC."
To develop the quality of its in-house advocacy in the Crown Court further, a national Advocacy Quality Management Project (AQMP) has been implemented to assess, monitor and ensure the maintenance of the highest standards of advocacy performance. The first phase of the AQMP began with the publication of the Crown Advocate Progression Framework ("the Framework"), which was implemented in all CPS Areas in June 2008. This will shortly be underpinned by a Group-based network of specialist Advocacy Assessors, and an expanded range of training to support advocates' development.
Associate Prosecutors are now able to prosecute most guilty plea cases in the magistrates' courts in all 42 CPS Areas. In 2008-09, Associate Prosecutors dealt with 24.8% of magistrates' courts' sessions. This was a significant increase on the figure of 20.4% for 2007-08. As well as providing high quality advocacy, the deployment of Associate Prosecutors has freed up lawyers to deal with more complex cases, case preparation and trial advocacy in both the magistrates' courts and the Crown Court.
From 23 February 2009, a small number of specially-trained Associate Prosecutors across Hampshire, London, North Wales and West Yorkshire, known as Level 2 Associate Prosecutors, have been able to conduct a wider range of not guilty hearings in the magistrates' courts, including summary trials in summary only non-imprisonable offences.
Each of the Level 2 Associate Prosecutors completed a comprehensive and externally-assessed training programme and will be deployed in these four pathfinder Areas for six months. The pathfinders will then be evaluated and consideration given to a national rollout of the extended powers from January 2010.
In October 2008, agreement was reached with the Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) for all Associate Prosecutors to become members of the Institute under a new category of membership. Between November 2008 and April 2009, 425 Associate Prosecutors signed up as members of ILEX.
