The police and Crown Prosecution Service need more effective communication to reduce inefficiencies

The police and prosecution inspectorates are calling for the National Criminal Justice Board to publish a strategy for the whole criminal justice system, and oversee improvements to make sure all parts are better aligned, increase public trust and provide a better service for victims.

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Joint case building by the police and Crown Prosecution Service: final report

The inspectorates found a lack of strategic governance and co-ordination, which has led to the duplication of effort, conflicting approaches, and confusion about what to prioritise.

His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) carried out a joint inspection of the building of prosecution cases by the police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

The report on the interim findings was published in January 2024. Following that, the joint inspection team focused on the strategic oversight and development of the working relationship between the police and the CPS.

Despite recommendations made in previous reports and reviews, inspectors found that the fundamental issues in this area remain unchanged. This includes the effectiveness of communications between the police and CPS on the frontline, and a lack of clear shared performance metrics and prosecution team priorities.

The inspection also found that overly bureaucratic systems, a lack of co-ordinated IT and processes, police file quality, timeliness of CPS charging advice, and changes to what needs to be included in police files were causing inefficiencies and frontline frustrations.

On a local level, inspectors said that these factors can have a significant impact upon the culture, communication and partnership working between the police and CPS.

However, inspectors said that recent changes implemented at senior levels in both policing and the CPS have had a positive effect on the approach to joint working on the frontline. The Strategic Joint Operational Improvement Board has driven changes, developed pilots and challenged current practices to address the factors causing the most significant problems.

Inspectors have made 18 recommendations, which if implemented, will secure major improvements in the efficiency of the criminal justice system. These include the National Criminal Justice Board:

• creating and publishing a clear strategy to oversee the delivery of improvement across the criminal justice system, but specifically the prosecution team;
• creating a viable, realistic plan for securing a national joint police and CPS digital case management system or multiple, fully compatible systems; and
• commissioning a joint review (supported by independent expertise) of performance data in lieu of publishing a national set of common metrics to enable effective scrutiny of all relevant aspects of the police’s and CPS’s performance in pre- and post-charge cases.

Chief Inspector of His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, Anthony Rogers and His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Sir Andy Cooke said:

“The relationship between the police and the CPS is critical in an efficient and effective criminal justice system, that increases public trust and importantly to provide better outcomes for victims. Over the years, we have seen many changes in the way they interact and work together. Most recently, we have seen changes made to disclosure and case building processes, which have increased inefficiencies and tensions between policing and CPS.

“Successive inspections by HMCPSI and HMICFRS have identified the need to improve case management between the police and the CPS.

“This has been a complex inspection, with a number of issues needing to be examined further and to the degree necessary. However, it is clear that fundamental issues remain unchanged, including on joined up processes and priorities. There is no clear strategy for improvement being driven across the system and there continues to be a lack of shared performance metrics.

“However, since our interim inspection, we have seen changes at senior levels in both policing and the CPS, which have led to much more effective senior joint relationships. We are seeing early signs of senior collaboration having a positive impact on the approach to joint working at the frontline.

“We are encouraged by the work to address some of the inefficiencies, including the approach of trying and testing innovative ways to improve how the police and CPS work together.

“But we cannot view the police and CPS in isolation, and we are deeply concerned there is a lack of strategic governance and co-ordination across the criminal justice system.

“That is why we are calling on the National Criminal Justice Board to publish a clear strategy to ensure all parts of the criminal justice system are aligned and are working towards the same goal – improving performance and delivering justice for victims.”

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Joint case building by the police and Crown Prosecution Service: final report

Notes

• In January 2024, interim findings from the first phase of a joint inspection by HMCPSI and HMICFRS were published. This inspection examined the building of prosecution cases by the police and CPS. Those findings were derived from two CPS areas and four police forces, including the examination of 40 case files.
• Today (10 July 2025) we published the second part of the report, a joint thematic inspection of the building of prosecution cases by the police and the CPS. Part two inspected a further four CPS areas and eight police forces. We spoke to police and CPS personnel in most of them and jointly examined a further 80 cases.
• There are 43 Home Office police forces in England and Wales. The police are responsible for investigating offences, arresting suspects and, in some circumstances, charging suspects. Historically, the police were also responsible for prosecuting defendants in court. That changed when the CPS was created.
• The CPS was created by the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 and became operational in 1986. The police continued to investigate, arrest, and decide whether to charge those suspected of criminal offences. The CPS became responsible for prosecuting offences after charge and deciding whether a case should proceed to trial.
• For further information, the HMICFRS Press Office can be contacted at 0300 071 6781 or HMICPressOffice@hmicfrs.gov.uk and HMCPSI press office can be reached on 07815 853 529 or hmcpsi.pressoffice@hmcpsi.gov.uk.