Crown Prosecution Service Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2008 - 2009

CSR 2007 progress on delivery

PSA 23: Make communities safer

The government's vision is that:

• Continuing to build on the significant reductions in crime achieved over recent years, fewer people are victims of crime, especially the most serious crime - violent, drug and alcohol-related crime - and the public are protected from the most harmful offenders; and
• Local agencies are accountable and responsive to the needs and priorities of the local community, leading to increased public confidence in those agencies.

Measure

Priority Action 3: Tackle the crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour (ASB) issues of greatest importance in each locality, increasing public confidence in the local agencies involved in dealing with these issues

Performance

Indicator 3: Public confidence in local agencies involved in tackling crime and ASB. Not yet assessed

Indicator 4: The percentage of people perceiving ASB as a problem. Not yet assessed

The Home Office leads on this PSA, and the CPS contributes to one of the four priority actions and its two indicators.

Overall assessment: not yet assessed

(All information on PSA 23 taken from "Home Office Departmental Report 2009").

PSA 24: Deliver a more effective, transparent and responsive Criminal Justice System for victims and the public

The government's vision is for a CJS that:

• Is more effective in bringing offences to justice, especially serious offences;
• Engages the public and inspires confidence;
• Puts the needs of victims at its heart;
• Has simple and efficient processes.

The CPS contributes to this PSA, which is led by the MoJ.

Indicator 1: Effectiveness and efficiency of the CJS in bringing offences to justice

Performance: Maintained

The effectiveness of the CJS in bringing serious sexual and serious acquisitive offences to justice has been assessed by comparing data for the year ending December 2008 with the baseline year 2007-08. This assessment is, however, provisional due to the three-month overlap of the data periods being compared. Current performance indicates some progress. The number of serious sexual offences brought to justice has risen 6% since 2007-08, while the number of these recorded crimes has fallen by 1% over the same period.

The number of serious acquisitive offences brought to justice has fallen 3% since 2007-08, while the number of these recorded crimes has fallen by a greater amount (4%) over the same period. The number of serious violent offences brought to justice remains static, but data on the number of recorded serious violent crimes are not currently available.

After a 45% increase in total expenditure on the CJS since 1998-99, the budgeted CJS spend in bringing offences to justice is projected to fall by approximately 3.2% over the period 2008-11 in real terms as efficiency savings are made. The budgeted spend in 2008-09 is £7.47 billion compared to £7.55 billion in 2007-08.

Indicator 2: Public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of the CJS

Performance: Maintained

If current performance trends continue, the element of this indicator covering the fairness of the CJS will be met.

The baselines stand at 56% for confidence in the fairness of the CJS and 37% for confidence in the effectiveness of the CJS. Latest performance data show that confidence in the fairness of the CJS has increased to 58%, while confidence in the effectiveness of the CJS has, so far, remained static. Although the latest recorded figure on confidence in the effectiveness of the CJS (based on the nine months ending December 2008) is 38%, this does not represent a statistically-significant increase.

Indicator 3: Experience of the CJS for victims and witnesses

Performance: Improvement

If current performance continues, the element of this indicator covering victim and witness satisfaction with the CJS as a whole will be met.

The baseline for victim satisfaction with the police stands at 81%. More recent performance data are not yet available. The baseline for victim and witness satisfaction with the CJS stands at 81%. Latest performance has shown an improvement to 82% (six months ending 30 September 2008).

Indicator 4: Understanding and addressing race disproportionality at key stages in the CJS

Performance: Improvement

Progress towards the 2011 PSA milestone is on schedule, with LCJBs already collecting and analysing data on race disproportionality and taking steps to address it where it is unjustified. Should this milestone be met, the CJS will be better informed to identify and explain race disproportionality at key points within the system, and tackle it where it is shown to be unjustified.

Indicator 5: Recovery of criminal assets

Performance: Improvement

Baseline: £125m recovered in 2006-07. Current performance shows that £105.7m has been recovered between April 2008 and December 2008. Although current performance shows an improvement, it is still below trajectory to recover £250m in 2009-10. Actions are underway to address this performance gap.

Overall assessment: some progress

There has been improvement in three out of the five indicators.

All information on PSA 24 taken from "The Ministry of Justice Departmental Annual Report 2008-09".

CPS Departmental Strategic Objective

"To bring offenders to justice, improve services to victims and witnesses and promote confidence, by applying the Code for Crown Prosecutors, adopting a proportionate approach to determine which offenders should be charged and which should be diverted from court, and by firm and fair presentation of cases in court."

DSO element: Bring offenders to justice

CPS progress since April 2008: Maintained

This indicator is based on a measure of the efficiency and effectiveness of the CJS.

• See progress against PSA 24

DSO element: Improve services to victims and witnesses

CPS progress since April 2008: Some progress

To increase the proportion of victims and witnesses who are satisfied with the way they are treated by the CJS.

• See progress against PSA 24

The proportion of witnesses who attend trial

• Average national witness attendance for the year 2008-09 stands at 86% against a target of 90%. This is an improvement from 85% for 2007-08

DSO element: Promote confidence

CPS progress since April 2008: Not yet assessed

Increased levels of public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of the CJS.

• See progress against PSA 24

Understand and address race disproportionality at the key stages of the CJS system. (Measured by LCJB returns).

• See progress against PSA 24

Increased recovery of criminal assets

• See progress against PSA 24

DSO element: Apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors

CPS progress since April 2008: Some progress

Percentage of the Code properly applied. (Measured through the Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) reviews of compliance with the Code.)

• CPS uses the Casework Quality Assurance (CQA) sampling process to assess the quality of its casework. For the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009, 28,261 cases were sampled under CQA, compared to 27,135 the previous year.
• According to CQA data, the Code decisions were made satisfactorily in 96.3% of the cases sampled; compared to 95.2% for the year 2007-08.

DSO element: Firm and fair presentation in court

CPS progress since April 2008: Not yet assessed

Improved results on advocacy standards. (Measured through the HMCPSI views on quality of advocacy).

• The quality of in-house advocacy in the Crown Court is being developed further. A national Advocacy Quality Management Project (AQMP) has been implemented to assess, monitor and maintain 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 be underpinned by a Group-based network of specialist Advocacy Assessors, and an expanded range of training to support advocates' development.

Overall assessment: some progress

There has been improvement in two out of the five indicators.

Plans for delivering efficiencies under CSR 2007

As a part of the CSR07 settlement, the CPS agreed (figures confirmed by HM Treasury's Value for Money Team in December 2008) to make £69 million value-for-money savings by 2010-11, to be delivered as follows:

The provisional performance reports for 2008-09 showed that the CPS had achieved savings of £26 million, against a target of £27 million for the full year. This comprises £19 million operational savings and £7 million administration and operational support savings. The CPS is continuing to identify additional activities and areas of work that will provide further savings.

Delivering improved efficiency and value-for-money savings is now an integral part of our business. Delivering the efficiency plan is an essential component of enabling the CPS to live within its diminishing budget over the CSR period, without impacting on the quality of service delivery.

The systems used to measure and compare realised savings against the delivery programme targets have been designed within a validation framework (this framework was not the subject of audit by the NAO). This gives an assurance that all reported efficiency savings under CSR07 are cash-releasing, sustained and net of costs. The Service continues to review and improve systems and methods to capture and report on the achievement of value-for-money savings and other benefits.

Value for money initiatives: workstreams

Operational: Advocacy Strategy

£20 million: The Department is seeking to achieve best value for money through the most effective deployment of CPS advocates in the magistrates' courts and the Crown Court.

Operational: Operational Efficiency

The Optimum Business Model enables the CPS improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the magistrates' courts processes and procedures which, together with improved management of the cases through CJSSS delivers value for money gains.

Administration and operational support: Investment Strategy

£7 million: The CPS is optimising the use and useful economic life of accommodation and other assets to ensure maximum value is achieved.

Administration and operational support: Support services

£7 million: A rigorous review of support services in the Department and improved procurement is delivering year-on-year cost savings.