About Us

What the CPS does for you

The main role of the CPS in South Yorkshire is to prosecute people charged with a criminal offence. Our lawyers work with the police on cases from start to finish by reviewing evidence and deciding whether the case should go to court. This means we:

Advise police prior to charging
Review Prosecutions
Prepare cases for court
Prosecute cases at the Magistrates' Court
Prosecute cases at the Crown Court and Higher Courts

The right balance for you

Our decisions on whether or not to prosecute are governed by the Code for Crown Prosecutors, which sets out two tests:

The evidential test

Our prosecutors must be satisfied that there is enough evidence to provide 'a realistic prospect of conviction' against each defendant on the charge. If a case does not pass the evidential stage it must not go ahead no matter how important or serious it may be.

The public interest test

If a case passes the evidential test, our lawyers must decide whether a prosecution is needed in the public interest. This will usually happen 'unless there are public interest factors tending against prosecution which clearly outweigh those tending in favour.'