3.2.2 Crown Prosecution Service
The CPS brings most of the criminal prosecutions investigated by the police to court. Its head is the Director of Public Prosecutions. The CPS describes its role in Box 6.
Box 6 The CPS
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and other investigative organisations in England and Wales. The CPS is independent, and we make our decisions independently of the police and government.
Our duty is to make sure that the right person is prosecuted for the right offence, and to bring offenders to justice wherever possible.
The CPS:
- decides which cases should be prosecuted;
- determines the appropriate charges in more serious or complex cases, and advises the police during the early stages of investigations;
- prepares cases and presents them at court; and
- provides information, assistance and support to victims and prosecution witnesses.
(Crown Prosecution Service, no date)