Are you OK with cookies?

We use small files called ‘cookies’ on cjji.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk. Some are essential to make the site work, some help us to understand how we can improve your experience, and some are set by third parties. You can choose to turn off the non-essential cookies. Which cookies are you happy for us to use?

Analytics cookies
Name	Purpose	Expires
_ga	These help us count how many people visit on cjji.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk by tracking if you’ve visited before	2 years
_gid	These help us count how many people visit on cjji.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk by tracking if you’ve visited before	24 hours
_gat	These help us to manage how we collect analytics when we have lots of visitors on the site at one time	10 minutes

All users
Name	Purpose	Expires
wordpress_test_cookie	This is used to test whether the browser accepts cookies	When you close your browser
PHPSESSID	This is used to link your device to the information sent to the server from your browser. It is typically used to avoid you having to retype information when moving from one page to another.	When you close your browser
ccfw_wp_plugin.banner.hidden	Lets us know you have chosen which cookies are used so we can stop the cookie banner appearing when you return to the site.	1 year
ccfw_wp_plugin.ga.accept	Lets us know you have accepted Google Analytics cookies so we can stop them loading when you return to the site.	1 year

Logged in users
Name	Purpose	Expires
wordpress_[hash]	This authenticates you when you log in to the admin area	When you close your browser
wordpress_logged_in	This shows the site that you’re logged in and who you are so you can access the functions you need	When you close your browser
wordpress_sec	If you are logged in as a site admin, this stores your authentication details.	When you close your browser
wp-settings-{time}-[UID]	The number on the end [UID] is your individual user ID from the users database.	1 year

Joint case building by the police and Crown Prosecution Service

Published:

January 25, 2024

Barriers to police and CPS joint working hinders high-quality prosecutions

Cultural and communication barriers between police and the CPS are hindering high-quality prosecutions and fail victims of crime, HMCPSI and HMICFRS have said in a report published today.

HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) have today released an interim report following the first phase of a joint inspection into the effective building of prosecution cases by the police and CPS at the early stages of a criminal case.

The two criminal justice inspectorates found that there are strong professional relationships between the police and CPS at a local level.

The police and CPS have a shared sense of purpose and desire to achieve a high standard of casework, with many examples of effective and successful prosecution cases.

However, there remain key differences between the police and the CPS, which hinder prosecutions and fail victims of crime.

Inspectors found that there was a lack of understanding of each other’s roles, IT systems are complex and can obstruct joint working, and there are tensions around the requirement to front-load cases for a charging decision.

The report suggests that these differences negatively affect the culture and communication between the two organisations, and the ability to resolve casework issues and build strong cases.

Further challenges faced by the police and CPS to deliver a high-quality service include increasing complexity of the law and case work, declining levels of experience, and a lack of personal contact between the two agencies on cases.

The report highlights common themes identified from phase one of the inspection, including areas of concern that have an adverse impact on the relationship and effectiveness of joint working between the CPS and police.

The final report to be published in Spring 2024 will include recommendations for the police and CPS, following visits to additional police forces and CPS Areas, as well as further extensive case file examination.

Read the report: Joint case building by the police and Crown Prosecution Service