Law Weblog

“Statutory Charging” scheme arrangements – go nationwide

Tuesday 17 November 2009 at 7:38 am | In News | Post Comment From January 2010 the existing CPS Direct service, which since 2003 has provided immediate advice on volume crime to police when charging suspects out of hours, will operate 24 hours a day in the 42 CPS Areas.

It will give all police officers instant access, via phone or secure digital service, to CPS prosecutors when seeking advice and authorisation.

Under the “Statutory Charging” scheme charging decisions in serious or complex cases remain the subject of face to face consultations between police and prosecutors, as they have since the scheme was introduced in 2006.

All summary only decisions will still be made by the police.

The scheme is popular with police officers because of the easier access to CPS lawyers it provides, will speed up the process of charging suspects and bringing them to court.

These moves follow last year’s Review of Policing report by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the 2008 Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary/Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate Joint Thematic Review of the new Charging Arrangements and Jan Berry’s interim report on Reducing Bureaucracy in Policing published in February this year.

“Statutory Charging” is the name given to the scheme introduced by part 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (amending s 37 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and inserting s 37A into the Act) in response to recommendations made by Lord Justice Auld in his review of the criminal justice system.

CPS website here