Prosecution guidance library

Our prosecution guidance helps Crown Prosecutors apply the Code for Crown Prosecutors when making decisions about whether to prosecute cases. The guidance makes sure that decisions are fair, clear, and consistent.

Search prosecution guidance library by keyword

A

Abuse of Process
Allocation, Sending and Committal for Sentence
Appeals related prosecution guidance
Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018
Assistance provided by Offenders
Attorney General's Reference on a Point of Law

B

Bail
Bereaved Families - Guidance on CPS service to bereaved families in homicide cases
Bribery Act 2010: Joint Prosecution Guidance of The Director of the Serious Fraud Office and The Director of Public Prosecutions

C

Child Abuse (non-sexual)
Child Sexual Abuse: Guidelines on Prosecuting Cases of Child Sexual Abuse
Children as suspects and defendants
Communications Offences
Community Impact Statements
Community Impact Statements and their use in Hate Crime cases
Computer Misuse Act
Confiscation Proceedings - Guidance for prosecutors on the discretion to instigate
Consents to Prosecute
Contempt of Court
Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship
Coronavirus related prosecution guidance
Coroners
Corporate Manslaughter
Corporate Prosecutions
Costs
County Lines Offending
Criminal allegations made against the police
Criminal Behaviour Orders
Custody Time Limit - Notice of Application to Extend
Custody Time Limit Calculator and Ready Reckoner
Custody Time Limits
Cybercrime - prosecution guidance

D

Dangerous Dog Offences
Deaths in Custody, including following contact with the police
Deceased Suspects - CPS Policy on Charging Decisions
Defendant’s refusal to attend Court
Deferred Prosecution Agreements - Code of Practice
DG6 Desktop Guide
Diplomatic Immunity and Diplomatic Premises
Director’s Guidance on Charging, sixth edition, December 2020, incorporating the National File Standard
Disability Hate Crime and other crimes against disabled people - prosecution guidance
Disclosure of Material to Third Parties
Disclosure related prosecution guidance
Dishonesty related prosecution guidance
Domestic Abuse
DPP's Investigatory Powers
Drafting the Indictment
Drug Offences

E

Education - Department for Education Prosecutions
Election Offences
Exhibits
Expert related prosecution guidance
Explosives see: Annex A - Explosives.pdf
Extradition - From the UK
Extradition - To the UK

F

Farquharson Guidelines: Role of Prosecuting Advocates
Female Genital Mutilation
Firearms
Football Related Offences and Football Banning Orders
Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021 and the Forensic Science Regulator’s Code of Practice 2023
Fraud Act 2006

G

Gang related offences - Decision making in
Gross Negligence Manslaughter

H

Handcuffing of Defendants
Hare Coursing
Hearings in Private (‘In Camera’)
Hearsay
Homicide: Murder, manslaughter, infanticide and causing or allowing the death or serious injury of a child or vulnerable adult
Homophobic, Biphobic and Transphobic Hate Crime - Prosecution Guidance
Humanitarian, Development and Peacebuilding Work Overseas
Hunting Act 2004, The

I

Immigration
Indecent and Prohibited Images of Children
Inquiries and reviews – statutory and independent, child and adult safeguarding, domestic homicide, and offensive weapons homicide
Intentional or Reckless Sexual Transmission of Infection
International

J

Joint Investigation Teams
Judicial Comments
Judicial Independence and Out of Court Discussions
Judicial Review of CPS Prosecuting Decisions (Appeals)
Jurisdiction
Jury Vetting

K

Knife and Other Weapons Offences

L

Live Links

M

Media: Assessing the Public Interest in Cases Affecting the Media
Media: Prosecuting Cases Where Public Servants Have Disclosed Confidential Information to Journalists
Mental Health: Suspects and Defendants
Mental Health: Victims and Witnesses
Misconduct in Public Office
Modern Slavery and human trafficking: offences and defences, including the section 45 defence
Money Laundering Offences

N

Nominal Penalty - cases where this is likely
Non Accidental Head Injury Cases (NAHI, formerly referred to as Shaken Baby Syndrome [SBS]) - Prosecution Approach
Non-Jury Trials

O

Obscene Publications
Offences against the Person, incorporating the Charging Standard
Offences during Protests, Demonstrations or Campaigns
Offences Involving Domestic and Captive Animals
Offences to be taken into Consideration (TICs)
Older People: Prosecuting Crimes against
Online Child Abuse Activist Groups on the internet
Out of Court Resolutions

P

Perverting the Course of Justice and Wasting Police Time in Cases involving Allegedly False Allegations of Rape and / or Domestic Abuse
Pre-Trial Therapy
Pre-Trial Therapy - Accompanying note for therapists
Prison-related Offences
Private Prosecutions
Proceeds of Crime
Prosecuting Rape: CPS Policy (this policy is currently under review)
Prosecuting Welfare and Health Fraud Cases
Prostitution and Exploitation of Prostitution
Protests - Potential offences during protests, demonstrations, or campaigns - Annex A
Psychoactive Substances
Psychological Evidence Toolkit - A guide for Crown Prosecutors
Public Justice Offences
Public Order Offences incorporating the Charging Standard

Q

No results found

R

Racist and Religious Hate Crime - Prosecution Guidance
Rape and Sexual Offences - Overview and index of 2021 updated guidance
Rape counts, linked to murder, left to lie on file
Re-trials
Reconsidering a Prosecution Decision
Referrals, approvals and notifications
Relations with other prosecuting agencies and the Prosecutors’ Convention
Restraining Orders
Retrial of Serious Offences
Reviewing Finalised Cases
Road Traffic related prosecution guidance

S

Safeguarding Children as Victims and Witnesses
Same sex sexual violence and sexual violence involving a trans complainant or suspect/defendant - Toolkit for Prosecutors
Secondary Liability: charging decisions on principals and accessories see: EasyRead - Secondary Liability LG
Sentencing - Ancillary Orders
Sentencing Dangerous Offenders
Sentencing – Overview, General Principles and Mandatory Custodial Sentences
Serious Crime Prevention Orders
Sex Dolls - Childlike
So-Called Honour-Based Abuse
So-Called Honour-Based Abuse and Forced Marriage: Guidance on Identifying and Flagging cases
Social Media: Reasonable Lines of Enquiry
Speaking to Witnesses at Court see: Protocol for Reading Victim Personal Statements in Court
Special Measures
Stalking or Harassment
Strangulation and suffocation
Suicide: Policy for Prosecutors in Respect of Cases of Encouraging or Assisting Suicide

T

Termination of Proceedings (Including Discontinuance)
Terrorism: Guidance in relation to the prosecution of individuals involved in terrorism overseas
Theft Act Offences
Trespass and Nuisance on Land

U

Unduly Lenient Sentences
Use of local information to ensure good quality decision-making

V

Victim Communication and Liaison (VCL) Scheme
Victim Personal Statement - Joint Agency Guide to the Victim Personal Statement see: Guide to Victim Personal Statements from all criminal justice agencies involved. PDF document, approx 246kb
Victims & Witnesses: CPS Service for Bereaved Families (English Version) see: PDF document
Victims & Witnesses: CPS Service for Bereaved Families (Welsh Version) see: PDF document
Victims & Witnesses: The Code of Practice for the Victims of Crime (Victims' Code) English/Cymraeg - external link to GOV.UK
Victims and Witnesses: Care and Treatment
Victims and Witnesses: CPS Commitments to Support
Victims and Witnesses: CPS Public Policy Statement on the Delivery of Services to Victims - The Prosecutors' Pledge
Victims' Right to Review Scheme
Violence against Women and Girls Guidance

W

Weapons related prosecution guidance
Wildlife Offences
Withdrawal of warrants
Witness Care: Focussing on Greatest Need (Minimum Requirements) see: PDF document
Witness protection and anonymity
Witnesses

X

No results found

Y

Your Meeting with The Crown Prosecution Service

Z

No results found