Foreword
By the Director of Public Prosecutions
I am pleased to introduce the latest Annual Report and Accounts for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The CPS is one part of a system grappling with high demand, increasing complexity and significant delays. Positioned as we are in the criminal justice process – between the police and the courts – we have the opportunity, through increasing our effectiveness, to improve the operation of the system as a whole.
This year we have been able to achieve some good progress, both in terms of our own efficiency and our overall impact. I am determined that this will continue.
The response of the criminal justice system to the outbreak of violent disorder last summer was a live demonstration of our ability to respond dynamically in the face of a national crisis. The CPS, working together with the police and the courts, brought cases to court swiftly and effectively, so that justice could be administered. This, in my view, is the key reason why the disorder came to an end.
That level of response, while desirable, is not possible across all casework given the level of resources available to us. However, we have delivered a number of initiatives this year to reduce delay, increase capability and improve casework quality.
Our continuous improvement programme is streamlining our systems and processes, removing duplication and helping the system work as effectively as possible.
We have focused on rebuilding our connection with victims, working hard to gain their trust. Providing better support to adult victims of rape and serious sexual offences has been a particular focus.
We continue to build better working relationships with the police, focusing on stronger collaboration to transform how we investigate and prosecute domestic abuse, rape and serious sexual offences in particular. We’ve made good progress, but we know that our response to these offences still needs sustained focus – there is much more to do.
We have worked with the courts to implement a new operating model for the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts – improving the quality of legal decision making and ensuring effective management throughout the life of each case. We have also made significant progress with our work to improve case strategy, so that we always present the strongest possible case
in court.
We are utilising technology to improve efficiency, saving tens of thousands of hours of prosecutor time, while improving the quality of decisions; and we are exploring the opportunities created by AI. We have launched a faster online service for victim and witness expenses, and we are now piloting digital jury bundles.
Meanwhile, we continue to future-proof our workforce: investing in recruiting and retaining the best people – and especially strengthening our advocacy career pathways.
And we remain committed to making sure our prosecutions are fair. This has included publishing an ambitious plan to tackle racial disparities in our charging decisions and safeguard fair prosecution decision making for all.
We have achieved a great deal – but we continue to operate under significant pressure. This has been recognised and was reflected in our spending review settlement.
I am proud of our efforts this year to rise to meet the challenges that we face, and to find innovative and creative ways to address them. Every day, our dedicated people stand ready to improve our service, and to deliver justice through independent, fair and effective public prosecutions.
Stephen Parkinson
Director of Public Prosecutions