AC 1.2 Describe the organisation of the criminal justice system in England and Wales Flashcards
What are the main agencies of the criminal justice system?
- The police
- The CPS
- HM probation services
- The courts
What are the roles of the police?
To enforce the law.
To protect the public from crimes.
To search and arrest suspects or criminals.
To investigate crime.
To collect evidence.
What role does the court have?
To prosecute criminals.
To decide whether someone is guilty or not.
To decide which sentence someone who is judged as guilty should get.
The magistrates role role is to deal with petty crimes such as non violent crimes. While higher courts such as the crown court deals with more serious crimes such as murder and rape. The Court of Appeals and supreme courts have the role of overruling and setting presidents.
What is the role of CPS?
To advise the police on evidence in a case.
To communicate with the police effectively.
To decide if a case has enough evidence and what a suspect will be prosecuted for.
To decide on whether prosecuting a suspect is within public interest.
This is done through the Full Codes Test
The CPS are also involved in the prosecution case in court.
What is the role of the Hm probation services?
To deal with offenders after while they are on licence and once they’re out of prison.
To supervise offenders and have regular appointments to make sure they are reaching their targets.
They may have to give drug and alcohol tests.
They supervise offenders on community sentences and will send offenders to prison if they do not meet their aims.
What relationship does the police have between justice agencies?
The police have a relationship with the CPS. They are advised about the collection of evidence for a case by them.
The police also have a relationship with the courts as they present evidence to the court and may need to explain the evidence to the jury. They also provide protection for witnesses and victims, hold defendants in cells and transport them to and from the courts.
The police have a relationship with the HM and probation officers as the police will arrest offenders if they do not meet their aims set by their licence terms. as a result of Sarah’s law, the police also communicate with Hm and prison and probation officers to see who is added to the sex offenders list in local areas.
Lastly, the police interact with the organizations, referring victims and witnesses to support groups.
What relationship do crown prosecution services have with agencies?
They interact with the police, advising them on evidence.
They interact with the courts, deciding the charge against a suspect, and presenting their case with their own lawyers. They also prepare appeals against unduly sentences.
What relationship do HM and tribunal services have with agencies?
HM and tribunal services have a relationship with courts and judges as they support the individual running of the court systems and the funding of the courts.
HM prison services hold prisoners attending courts, deal with their transfer/ return to prison and arrange video recordings and live link to prisoners giving evidence from prison.
What relationship do HM and Probation services have with agencies?
They have a relationship with the police, communicating when an offender breaks their licence.
They also have a relationship with parole boards, supervising prisoners who are released on licence.
They have a relationship with the courts, preparing pre-sentencing reports on offenders, supervising offenders who have been given community services by the court, and supervising drug tests under the courts orders.
