Policies and Publications
The documents listed on this page are the key Crown Prosecution Servive (CPS) documents that are available in English, Welsh and other languages.
Other CPS documents are available in English only via the CPS National website.
Visit the National CPS website Publications section
Core Quality Standards and Code for Crown Prosecutors
These two key documents tell you:
- What we do
- How we make decisions
- The service you can expect from us.
Core Quality Standards
The Core Quality Standards tell you what you can expect us to do when we prosecute people in court.
Visit the CPS national website to read the Core Quality Standards in English
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Welsh Core Quality Standards PDF
Arabic Core Quality Standards PDF
Bengali Core Quality Standards PDF
Chinese Traditional Core Quality Standards PDF
French Core Quality Standards PDF
Gujarati Core Quality Standards PDF
Polish Core Quality Standards PDF
Punjabi Core Quality Standards PDF
Somali Core Quality Standards PDF
Tamil Core Quality Standards PDF
Urdu Core Quality Standards PDF
Code for Crown Prosecutors
The Code for Crown Prosecutors is a public document, issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions, that sets out the general principles Crown Prosecutors should follow when they make decisions on cases.
Visit the CPS national website to read the Code for Crown Prosecutors in English
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Welsh Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Arabic Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Bengali Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Chinese Traditional Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
French Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Gujarati Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Polish Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Punjabi Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Somali Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Tamil Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Urdu Code for Crown Prosecutors PDF
Research, monitoring and evaluation
CPS Violence Against Women crime report 2008-2009
This is the second Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) annual Violence Against Women (VAW) performance report, and covers the following strands of Violence Against Women for 2008-09: domestic violence; forced marriage; honour based violence; female genital mutilation; rape and sexual offences; human trafficking; prostitution; child abuse; and pornography.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
CPS Violence Against Women crime report 2008-2009 - English PDF
CPS Violence Against Women crime report 2008-2009 - Welsh PDF
CPS Violence Against Women crime report 2007-2008
This is the first Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) annual Violence Against Women performance report. This report covers a range of Violence Against Women (VAW) strands for 2007 - 08: domestic violence; forced marriage; so-called 'honour' crimes; female genital mutilation; rape and sexual offences; human trafficking; prostitution; child abuse; and pornography.
CPS Violence Against Women crime report 2007-2008 - English PDF
CPS Violence Against Women crime report 2007-2008 - Welsh PDF
Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans
The CPS Violence Against Women (VAW) strategy sets out the vision for developing our VAW work, building on the work of 2006-07, and provides supporting action plans for future work.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans - English - PDF
Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plans - Welsh - PDF
Equality and Diversity Impact Assessment on the Violence Against Women Strategy and Action Plan
This is the first equality and diversity impact assessment (EDIA) for the Violence Against Women (VAW) strategy.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Prosecution Policy and Guidance
The decision to prosecute
This explains how prosecution decisions are reached.
Visit the CPS national website to read the decision to prosecute in English
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Welsh decision to prosecute PDF
Arabic decision to prosecute PDF
Bengali decision to prosecute PDF
Chinese Traditional decision to prosecute PDF
French decision to prosecute PDF
Gujarati decision to prosecute PDF
Polish decision to prosecute PDF
Punjabi decision to prosecute PDF
Somali decision to prosecute PDF
Tamil decision to prosecute PDF
Urdu decision to prosecute PDF
Supporting victims and witnesses with a learning disability
This document is a 'public policy statement'. It explains how the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will deal with cases which involve victims and witnesses who have a learning disability.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Supporting victims and witnesses with a learning disability English PDF
Supporting victims and witnesses with a learning disability Welsh PDF
Supporting victims and witnesses with a learning disability Easy Read PDF
Supporting victims and witnesses with mental health issues
This document is a 'public policy statement'. It explains how the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will deal with cases which involve victims and witnesses who have mental health issues.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Supporting victims and witnesses with mental health issues English PDF
Supporting victims and witnesses with mental health issues Welsh PDF
Supporting victims and witnesses with mental health issues Easy Read PDF
The Conditional Caution for victims
This leaflet explains what a Conditional Caution is, when it might be used and how it can help victims of crime.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
The Conditional Caution for victims English PDF
The Conditional Caution for victims Welsh PDF
Restorative Justice and the Conditional Caution for victims
The information in this leaflet is short and general. It explains what restorative justice (RJ) is and how it can be used with a Conditional Caution. You should read this leaflet together with the general Conditional Caution leaflet.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Restorative Justice and the Conditional Caution for victims English PDF
Restorative Justice and the Conditional Caution for victims Welsh PDF
The Conditional Caution for offenders
This leaflet explains what a Conditional Caution is and when it might be used.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
The Conditional Caution for offenders English PDF
The Conditional Caution for offenders Welsh PDF
Restorative Justice and the Conditional Caution for offenders
The information in this leaflet is short and general. It explains what restorative justice (RJ) is and how it can be part of a Conditional Caution. You should read this leaflet together with the general Conditional Caution leaflet.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Restorative Justice and the Conditional Caution for offenders English PDF
Restorative Justice and the Conditional Caution for offenders Welsh PDF
Policy for Prosecutors in respect of Cases of Encouraging or Assisting Suicide
This policy document issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions provides guidance to prosecutors on the public interest factors to take into account in reaching decisions in cases of encouraging or assisting suicide.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Policy for Prosecutors in respect of Cases of Encouraging or Assisting Suicide Welsh PDF
Public Consultation Exercise on the Interim Policy for Prosecutors in respect of Cases of Assisted Suicide Summary of Responses
This document issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions contains a summary of public responses from nearly 5,000 responses to the assisted suicide consultation undertaken by the Crown Prosecution Service in September 2009.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Domestic Violence - A guide for victims and witnesses
Explains how the decision to prosecute is reached.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Domestic Violence-A guide for victims and witnesses English PDF
Domestic Violence-How prosecution decisions are reached Welsh PDF
Racist and religious crime - CPS prosecution policy
Explains the CPS Policy on prosecuting cases with a Racist or Religious element.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Welsh PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Arabic PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Bengali PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Chinese Traditional PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy French PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Gujarati PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Polish PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Punjabi PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Somali PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Tamil PDF
Racist and religious crime-CPS prosecution policy Urdu PDF
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime
This policy statement explains the way that the Crown Prosecution Service deals with cases of disability hate crime.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime English PDF
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime Welsh PDF
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime - easy read versions
Easy read versions of the policy statement are also available.
Download the following documents in PDF or Word format:
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime-easy read versions English PDF
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime-easy read versions English Word doc
Policy for prosecuting cases of disability hate crime-easy read versions Welsh Word doc
Crimes against older people - prosecution policy
This document explains the way in which we deal with crimes against older people and how we support older people who are victims and witnesses of crime.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Crimes against older people-prosecution policy English PDF
Crimes against older people-prosecution policy Welsh PDF
Policy for prosecuting cases of bad driving
Public statement that explains the way in which we, the CPS, deal with cases involving bad driving.
Visit the CPS national website to read the Policy for prosecuting cases of bad driving in English
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Policy for prosecuting cases of bad driving English PDF
Policy for prosecuting cases of bad driving Welsh PDF
Witnesses and best evidence - About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor
Gives information to witnesses about meeting with the CPS to discuss what special court measures may help them give their best evidence at court. Also available in other languages.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Welsh Witnesses and best evidence-About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor PDF
Gujarati Witnesses and best evidence-About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor PDF
Polish Witnesses and best evidence-About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor PDF
Punjabi Witnesses and best evidence-About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor PDF
Somali Witnesses and best evidence-About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor PDF
Urdu Witnesses and best evidence-About meeting with the Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor PDF
Householders and the use of force against intruders
This document summarises the position when you are faced with an intruder in your home, and provides a brief overview of how the police and CPS will deal with any such events.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Householders and the use of force against intruders English PDF
Householders and the use of force against intruders Welsh PDF
The Prosecutors' Pledge
Are you a victim of crime? This sets out the support you can expect from prosecutors.
Visit the CPS national website to read The Prosecutors' Pledge in English
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Welsh The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Arabic The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Bengali The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Chinese Traditional The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
French The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Gujarati The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Polish The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Punjabi The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Somali The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Tamil The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Urdu The Prosecutors' Pledge PDF
Leaflet for Bereaved Families
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Leaflet for Bereaved Families English PDF
Leaflet for Bereaved Families Welsh PDF
Children and Young People as witnesses
Download the following documents in PDF format:
CPS Policy on Prosecuting Criminal Cases Involving Children and Young People as Witnesses Welsh PDF
Equality and Diversity Policy and Guidance
CPS Welsh language scheme
Homophobic and Transphobic Policy leaflet
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Homophobic and Transphobic Policy leaflet English PDF
Homophobic and Transphobic Policy leaflet Welsh PDF
Crimes Against Older People leaflet
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Crimes Against Older People leaflet English PDF
Crimes Against Older People leaflet Welsh PDF
Race and Religious Hate Crime leaflet
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Race and Religious Hate Crime leaflet English PDF
Race and Religious Hate Crime leaflet Welsh PDF
Disability Hate Crime leaflet
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Disability Hate Crime leaflet English PDF
Disability Hate Crime leaflet Welsh PDF
Hate Crime Report 2008-2009
This is the second Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Annual Hate Crime Report, and brings together information on CPS performance in prosecuting racist and religious hate crime, transphobic and homophobic crime, disability incidents and domestic violence.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Hate Crime Report 2008-2009 English PDF
Hate Crime Report 2008-2009 Welsh PDF
Hate Crime Report 2007-2008
This is the first Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Annual Hate Crime Report, and brings together information on CPS performance in prosecuting racist and religious hate crime, transphobic and homophobic crime, disability incidents and domestic violence.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
Hate Crime Report 2007-2008 English PDF
Hate Crime Report 2007-2008 Welsh PDF
CPS Single Equality Scheme 2006-2010
The Crown Prosecution Service has published its first Single Equality Scheme, for the period 2006-2010. The Single Equality Scheme includes the CPS Disability Equality Scheme alongside its Race Equality Scheme and Gender Equality Scheme. The Scheme also sets out how the CPS will build equality and diversity in respect of age, religion or belief, sexuality and gender identity. The Single Equality Scheme is available in a range of formats and community languages upon request.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
CPS Single Equality Scheme 2006-2010 English PDF
CPS Single Equality Scheme 2006-2010 Welsh PDF
CPS Equality And Diversity Expectations Statement for the Bar
Statement of expectations on equality and diversity which would apply to the Bar when members are working, or seeking to work, for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Download the following documents in PDF format:
CPS Equality And Diversity Expectations Statement for the Bar English PDF
CPS Equality And Diversity Expectations Statement for the Bar Welsh PDF
