Publications

The CPS produces a number of publications and guidance documents about its work, performance and management which are available to members of the public on the national CPS website.

The Code for Crown Prosecutors

The Director of Public Prosecutions, who is head of the CPS, is responsible for issuing a Code for Crown Prosecutors under section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, which gives guidance on the general principles to be applied when making decisions about prosecutions.

The key principles are that a prosecution should only be started or allowed to continue if:

• There is enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction against each defendant on each charge, and, if so;
• Where a prosecution is in the public interest.

A fifth edition of the Code was published in 2004 and can be found on the national CPS website.