Mixed_review_of_CPS

Following a review of eight of the 42 CPS areas, the CPS Inspectorates annual report concluded that in 95.2% of the 894 cases reviewed, prosecutors...Following a review of eight of the 42 CPS areas, the CPS Inspectorates annual report concluded that in 95.2% of the 894 cases reviewed, prosecutors correctly applied its code the criteria by which the CPS decides to take forward a prosecution.

Evidential and public interest tests were found to have been correctly applied in 98.2% and 99.8% of cases respectively.

However, case reviews, preparation of summary trials and committals, records of decisions and the reasons for them, were all found to be weak.

The report also found that slightly more than half of all instructions to counsel (52.4%) were found to be satisfactory.

Within the CPS, advocacy standards were generally found to be good, although occasionally lacklustre at the more junior end.

On the issue of disclosure of evidence, a key area of concern for defence solicitors, CPS prosecutors were found to have discharged their primary duty of disclosure in 76.2% of cases and secondary disclosure in 71.8% of cases.Law Society criminal law committee chairman Malcolm Fowler said: The only basis upon which we can talk about any kind of move towards greater defence disclosure in on the basis that the CPS will get it right except for odd unavoidable errors, and they are obviously light years away from that happening.Sue Allen