AC 1.2 Flashcards
What agencies work in the criminal justice system?
- police
- CPS
- courts
- prison & probation
- sentencing council
- Ministry of Justice
- campaigns for change/charities
What is the role of the police?
- maintain order in society
- arrest and detain suspects
- can give cautions and fines
- can collect evidence
What is the police relationship with the courts?
- providing the court with evidence/giving statements
- transporting and holding defendants to and from court
What is the police relationship with the CPS?
- the police take advice from the CPS on charging suspects
- the police will provide the CPS with any evidence they require to build their case so that it can be taken to court
What is the police relationship with the prison and probation services?
- police will collect/arrest individuals in breach of their probation terms/licenses and take them to prison
- police cooperate with prison and probation services in managing sex offenders that live within areas
What is the police relationship with charity organisations?
- take specialist advice on how they can help victims of specific crimes
What is the role of the CPS?
- look at all evidence and decide if there’s enough for a charge (Full Code Test)
- advise the police on what to do and if more evidence is needed
- decide on the charge
- present the prosecution case in the Crown Court
What is the CPS relationship with the police?
- CPS will advise the police how to charge suspects
- request evidence collected by the police to help build their case
What is the CPS relationship with the courts?
- the CPS will put together a bundle for court that contains everything the judge needs to see for the pending trial
- the CPS will prepare and present the case to court using an experienced advocate
- the CPS will provide anything the judge requests (where possible) if a trial does go ahead
What is the role of the sentencing council?
- decide the sentence that is going to the defendant
- can decide unduly harsh/lenient sentences
What is the sentencing council relationship with the court?
- the judges sit in the courts and are guided by the sentencing guidelines issued by the sentencing council to ensure there is fairness and consistency across all UK courts
What is the sentencing council relationship with the CPS?
- judges can give a sentence indication so that both sides can consider if a guilty plea is the best option
- judges can hold a Goodyear hearing so that the defendant can know what their likely sentence would be if they were to plead guilty at the outset of the trial
What is the role of prison and probation services?
- punishes criminals and can act as a deterrent to crime
- look at an offenders behaviour in prison, see if they can get an early release etc.
What is the prison and probation services relationship with the police?
- probation services will need to inform the police if an offender goes AWOL and needs bringing in
- probation often needs enforcement help from the police
- probation officers will help to manage offenders by reminding them of court dates/police interviews/questioning
What is the prison and probation services relationship with the courts?
- probation services will update the court with any breaches of licenses/ill behaviour and prepare reports
- prison services will keep the court updated on behaviour
- prison officers will transport the prisoner to and from court for hearings/trials
