Revised 15 June 2018; 23 October 2024

Guidance reviewed 11/09/2019

updates: 04 November 2021, 22 July 2025

This guidance provides a summary of the relevant principles and case law to be applied when making charging decisions in gang related offences and when seeking to use gang related evidence in proceedings.

Updated: 08 March 2021; 23 March 2021; 9 May 2022

Updated: 3 March 2022; Feb 2023; 14 May 2026

This guidance sets out the factors to be taken into consideration when reviewing cases and prosecuting offences classified as Homophobic, Biphobic or Transphobic Hate Crime.

Updated: 3 Mar 2022; 14 May 2026

This guidance sets out the factors to be considered when reviewing cases and prosecuting offences classified as racist or religious hate crime. It also addresses the approach to be taken in other cases where race or religion are a factor.

Updated: 30 Jan 2020; 15 Oct 2024; 18 May 2026

Updated: 20 Nov 2023, 1 Nov 2024; 10 Nov 2025

Experts can be of great assistance to magistrates and juries in helping them to determine the issues in a case, including the guilt or innocence of an accused. Prosecutors will require the appropriate knowledge and understanding of the evidence in question to present and challenge expert evidence. The purpose of this Guidance is to assist prosecutors in identifying, understanding and challenging, where appropriate, this type of evidence.

Updated: 26 February 2021, 25 Jan 2023

This guidance explains when prosecutors may institute or reinstitute criminal proceedings after the CPS has told a suspect or defendant that there will not be a prosecution, or that the prosecution has been stopped.