Ac 1.2

• There are 6 main agencies in the criminal justice system:

  1. The police
  2. The Crown Prosecution Service
  3. HM Courts and Tribunals Service
  4. The courts
  5. HM Prison and Probation Service
  6. Government departments
• The police are responsible for enforcing the law.
• The police investigate crimes, arrest suspects, and collect evidence.
• There are 43 regional police forces in England and Wales.
• The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) are responsible for prosecuting about half a million cases a year.
• The CPS help the police with lines of inquiry and what evidence is required to build a case. They must apply the "Full-Code" test the case.
• The Courts and Tribunals service is responsible for the administration of the courts and tribunals in England and Wales.
• Once a suspect is charged they are brought before a magistrate's court, where the defendant will plead guilty or not guilty and pre-trial issues like bail and legal aid.
• The magistrate's court deal with about 95% of all cases, and the Crown court deals with the more serious offences like murder and rape.
• The HM Prison and Probation service carry out the sentences given to offenders by the courts.
• The prison service supervises offenders in custody.
• The probation service supervises offenders who are serving their sentences in the community as well as prisoners who are released on licence.
• The prison and probation service also seek to rehabilitate offenders so that they can live a good life.