CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
1. PROCEDURE
1.1 The Crown Prosecution Service has a
comprehensive procedure for dealing with complaints from members
of the public, which is designed to encourage the resolution of
complaints swiftly and at a local level.
1.2 The procedure has three stages. Complaints
relating to cases are referred initially to the Branch that dealt
with the case (Tier 1). If the complaint cannot be resolved at
Branch level, the matter is referred to the Chief Crown Prosecutor
for the Area in which the Branch falls (Tier 2). Complaints that
cannot be resolved within the Area are referred to the Customer
Service Unit Manager at Headquarters.
1.3 The Customer Service Unit Manager will
consider the circumstances under which the complaint arose and
consult with the Director of Public Prosecutions in order to agree
a course of action (Tier 3). The Director may choose to reply
to the complainant himself, or may ask another Headquarters Director
to reply. Alternatively, he may ask the Customer Service Unit
Manager to reply on his behalf, or he may ask that the matter
be referred to another Chief Crown Prosecutor, outside the Area
where the complaint originated, for independent review and reply.
1.4 Complaints which are not case related,
and which require an administrative rather than legal response
are directed to the Branch (eg Finance or Personnel), then the
Area Business Manager and then, through the Customer Service Unit
Manager, to the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive can reply
himself, or ask another Director or the Customer Service Unit
Manager to reply on his behalf.
1.5 The complaints procedure is publicised
on the CPS web site and in publicity material which is made available
to members of the public. The Crown Prosecution Service also has
a telephone enquiry line, manned by the Customer Service Unit,
which deals with general queries.
2. DEADLINES
FOR REPLY
2.1 The Crown Prosecution Service aims to
deal swiftly, sensitively, fairly and confidentially with complaints
from members of the public. We aim to send a full reply to written
complaints within three working days of receipt by the Service.
Where this is not possible, an acknowledgement will be sent in
this time and full reply sent within 10 working days of receipt
by the Service. Where it is clear that a full reply cannot be
sent within the 10 day deadline, a letter will be sent to the
complainant explaining the reason for the delay and advising them
when they can expect a reply.
3. STATISTICS
3.1 In the year 1998-99 the Crown Prosecution
Service nationally dealt with 87.7 per cent of complaints within
the 10-day deadline, against a target of 85 per cent. During the
first three quarters of the year 1999-2000, 87.5 per cent of complaints
were dealt with in this time, against a target of 87 per cent.
3.2 The number of complaints received in
1998-99 was 2,288. The CPS dealt with 1,547,981 cases in the same
period. Complaints therefore arose from less than 0.2 per cent
of the cases dealt with in this period. During the first three
quarters of 1999-2000, 1,761 complaints were received and the
number of cases dealt with was 1,151,299. Again, less than 0.2
per cent of the total case load.
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