Our purpose

The Crown Prosecution Service is at the heart of the criminal justice system in England and Wales, working with our partners to deliver justice through independent, fair and effective public prosecutions. This year we will do this by increasing capability, increasing casework quality, reducing delays and increasing trust.

Fundamentally, the role of the CPS is to:

Decide which cases should be prosecuted – every charging decision is based on the same two-stage test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors
Determine the appropriate charges in more serious or complex cases and advise the police during the early stages of investigations
Prepare cases and present them at court
Provide information, assistance and support to victims and prosecution witnesses.

We do not investigate crime or choose which cases to consider; our prosecutors must review every case referred to us by the police or other investigators. We provide expert legal advice early in investigations to help build strong cases or identify where a suspect should not be charged.

We make our decisions independently of the police and of government. We must always be fair, objective and impartial to secure justice for victims, witnesses, defendants, and the public. Our job is to make sure that every case which satisfies the Code test goes before the courts.