CPS

• CPS - Strengths

  • 909,000 prosecution in England and Wales criminal courts (June 2021)
  • Magistrates do not have an 84% conviction rate - could be viewed as an success
• CPS - Weaknesses

  • CPS brings an independent element to the charging and the prosecution of offenders works with the police to bring about social control
  • Full Code Test = Provides a uniform and fair approach to its role and allows a due process model of justice to be implemented
• CPS - Strengths

  • It has been funding problems and criticisms that it had been centralised, bureatic, ineffective and too close to the police
  • Sir Iain Glidewell produced a report in 1998 stating that the organisation lacked effectiveness and efficiency and particularly referred to the number of judge - ordered acquittals of defendants being far too high
• CPS - Weaknesses

  • 2020, Kevin McGiny, HM Chief Inspector of the CPS, said the underlying problem was a lack of resources
  • CPS had been struggling with its case load without having the number of lawyers needed to do it
  • Damilola Taylor