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Attorney general calls for greater police role in prosecuting low-level crime Attorney general calls for greater police role in prosecuting low-level crime
(7 months later)
Police officers should play a greater role in charging and prosecuting uncontested and low-level offences, the attorney general has suggested.Police officers should play a greater role in charging and prosecuting uncontested and low-level offences, the attorney general has suggested.
Dominic Grieve QC said the shift in responsibilities would take the pressure off the Crown Prosecution Service, enabling it to concentrate on more serious crimes. In a speech on prosecution policies at Queen Mary College, east London, he revealed that he was in talks with the home secretary, Theresa May, and the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, about further reforms of the criminal justice system.Dominic Grieve QC said the shift in responsibilities would take the pressure off the Crown Prosecution Service, enabling it to concentrate on more serious crimes. In a speech on prosecution policies at Queen Mary College, east London, he revealed that he was in talks with the home secretary, Theresa May, and the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, about further reforms of the criminal justice system.
"I am working closely with the home secretary and justice secretary to determine where we can turn work to the police without detracting from the vital role the CPS plays or lessening the robust fairness of the system we currently have," he said."I am working closely with the home secretary and justice secretary to determine where we can turn work to the police without detracting from the vital role the CPS plays or lessening the robust fairness of the system we currently have," he said.
"I do not see the police prosecuting contested cases but I can see more of the routine, non-contested work, thereby freeing the CPS to deal with more difficult cases."I do not see the police prosecuting contested cases but I can see more of the routine, non-contested work, thereby freeing the CPS to deal with more difficult cases.
"I think there are certain non-contested, regulatory and traffic offences which can be and may well be best handled by the police. These volume offences require little review and CPS involvement adds little value … I also believe that there is a greater role for the police to play in terms of charging.""I think there are certain non-contested, regulatory and traffic offences which can be and may well be best handled by the police. These volume offences require little review and CPS involvement adds little value … I also believe that there is a greater role for the police to play in terms of charging."
Better co-ordination between police and prosecutors is needed, Grieve said. "There is little point in spending thousands of pounds on an investigation with a wealth of forensic and technical work only for a case to fail because the correct evidence has not been provided to the prosecutor."Better co-ordination between police and prosecutors is needed, Grieve said. "There is little point in spending thousands of pounds on an investigation with a wealth of forensic and technical work only for a case to fail because the correct evidence has not been provided to the prosecutor."
An independent prosecution service remains vital, he added. "Should the CPS be privatised as some have advocated? Personally I am not persuaded that a devolved system of independent but local prosecutions would deliver the efficiency, consistency and fairness which we require. To break the CPS into local prosecution departments would be to remove the economies of scale which we now see within the CPS."An independent prosecution service remains vital, he added. "Should the CPS be privatised as some have advocated? Personally I am not persuaded that a devolved system of independent but local prosecutions would deliver the efficiency, consistency and fairness which we require. To break the CPS into local prosecution departments would be to remove the economies of scale which we now see within the CPS."
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