Category: Crown Prosecution Service

Cutting costs will hit the quality of our legal system – The Times

Posted February 19th, 2008 in criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, legal services, special report by sally

“This week plans come before the House of Lords to expand the powers of Crown Prosecution Service caseworkers to handle a wide range of magistrates’ courts cases. It may be logical to argue that deploying these so-called designated case workers or DCWs for minor cases will free more experienced and qualified lawyers for more serious work. Yet inherently it means that the quality of representation for the prosecution will decline – because we are prepared to pay only junior staff to handle cases in the lower courts.”

Full story

The Times, 19th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

CPS out of hours service to review hate crimes – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted January 24th, 2008 in Crown Prosecution Service, hate crime, news by sally

“CPS Direct, the Crown Prosecution Service department responsible for charging suspects out of hours, has initiated a Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel to improve the way in which it deals with hate crime.”

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 23rd January 2008

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Crown lawyer accuses UK’s top prosecutor – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 15th, 2007 in bullying, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

“The country’s top prosecutor ‘publicly humiliated’ a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer by removing her from her job over unfounded bullying claims, a tribunal has heard.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th November 2007

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Attorney general’s prosecution role may be curtailed – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2007 in attorney general, Crown Prosecution Service, news by sally

“The attorney general is likely to lose the right to play a part in prosecution decisions but keep the job of government legal adviser in a shakeup of the role to restore public confidence, the Guardian has learned. The change will form part of Gordon Brown’s new constitutional settlement, along with other measures to increase public accountability which opened for consultation last week, including a bigger role for MPs in deciding whether to wage war.”

Full story

The Guardian, 29th October 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Victim letter delays criticised – BBC News

Posted September 27th, 2007 in Crown Prosecution Service, news, victims by sally

“Prosecution lawyers have been criticised for failing to inform crime victims when charges against a suspect are dropped or changed.”

Full story

BBC News, 26th September 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Protest over prosecutions without lawyers – The Times

Posted July 16th, 2007 in criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions by sally

“Thousands of trials a year could be prosecuted by non-lawyers under plans for an extension of the powers of the Crown Prosecution Service’s lay staff.”

Full story

The Times, 16th July 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk