Local Criminal Justice Board

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) works closely with other criminal justice agencies, such as the police, probation and court service to undertake joint community activities.

Collectively these local agencies are known as the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB), through which joint events are run. 

A good example of this joint working is when all of the criminal justice agencies come together for one week known as Inside Justice Week, during which there are a number of activities and events. These aim to open up what goes on behind the scenes in the justice system in England and Wales.

In all five counties in Thames and Chiltern, CPS staff take part in local events such as mock trials, in conjunction with partners such as the court service and police.

These events are held at courts across the region and are open to the public. They aim to raise awareness and provide some people with the chance to come face-to-face with people from the world of justice and thereby break down a few barriers. 

Examples of community engagement events during Inside Justice Week in 2008 include:

Reading Crown Court Open Day, where CPS staff engaged with the public, and outlined the role of the CPS within the criminal justice system as well as CPS policies and the CPS career structure. Staff received lots of questions about working for the CPS and how to organise job shadowing, from members of the public including Reading University law students and Year 10/11 teachers. A CPS lawyer took part in a mock trial.

CPS staff attended Banbury Magistrates' Court Open Day which involved liaising with the public, magistrates and court staff. The Attorney General, Baroness Scotland, visited and praised the event.    

CPS staff attended a careers evening at a school in Thame and provided information to teachers, parents and students about the CPS as an employer, for both admin staff and prosecutors.

Details of Inside Justice Week are published on the LCJB websites prior to the week in October each year.

Thames Valley Local Criminal Justice Board

Hertfordshire Local Criminal Justice Board

Bedfordshire Local Criminal Justice Board

Other events are held throughout the year, such as court open days, which are always supported by CPS staff across the Group. For example, in January 2009, staff from the CPS Cowley office attended the Oxford Courts open day - see picture below.