ac1.2 describe the organisation of the CJS

• criminal justice system

  system divided into 4 parts

  1. law creation and admin
  2. law enforcement
  3. courts
  4. punishment of convicted offenders
• police

  • enforce and maintain law
  • agency that investigates crimes prior to court hearings
  • interviewing witnesses and collecting relevant evidence
  • liase with courts, cps, HM prison and probation
• CPS

  prosecute criminal cases

  liase with police, courts
• ministry of justice

  Government department which has responsibility for courts, prisons & probation services
• HM courts and tribunal service


  • responsible for administration of criminal, civil, family courts and tribunals
  • all cases start at magistrates
  • summary offences remain in magistrates
  • triable either way and indictable offences must go to crown
  • court is the agency that passes custodial sentences and ensures that the defendant is taken to prison
  • liase with ministry of justice, police, CPS, sentencing council
• tribunal


  another word for court
• HM Prison and Probation Service

  Carries out the sentences given to offenders by the courts, help them lead law-abiding lives

  liase with courts, police, sentencing council
• campaigners and charities

  non-profit organisations, try make a change in society

  raise awareness of areas in cjs

  e.g prison reform trust, howard league for penal reform

  liase with police, prison
• sentencing council


  Provides guidelines on sentencing that the courts must follow unless it is in the interest of justice not to do so.

  liase with courts, police
• first step of cjs

  criminal law made
• second step of cjs

  police enforce law
• third step of cjs

  
  

  cps advice police on appropriate charge
• forth step of cjs

  
  

  suspect brought down to court
• fifth step of cjs

  
  

  released on bail/ in custody
• sixth step of cjs

  
  

  suspect trialed at court

  guilty - sentenced

  not guilty - trial
• seventh step of cjs

  
  

  judge gives punishment if guilty
• eighth step of cjs


  
  

  prison oversee welfare of prisoners
• ninth step of cjs

  
  

  offender released after sentence finished - subject to supervision/ probation
• jury

  listen to evidence including witnesses, expert evidence, written testimonies, photographs

  make notes during trial

  ask judge questions

  consider verdict unanimously
• MAPPA


  Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements

  agencies such as probation and police attend meetings to assess and report on an offenders risk to the public
• remand 


  place a defendant on bail or in custody
• adjourn 


  when trial is paused
• defence lawyers

  • court - represent defendants in trial
  • police - may need to attend police station to advise clients
  • cps - may appear together with CPS and conduct the case for the defendant while cps prosecute
  • prison - may need to attend prison to visit client remanded in custody
  • probation - discuss issues with probation service so they can create pre-sentence report