FOLLOW UP ON THE GLIDEWELL RECOMMENDATIONS
1. BACKGROUND
1.1 The Government's final response to the
report was given by the then Attorney General in a written answer
to a Parliamentary Question on 28th June 1999. Of the 75 recommendations
and conclusions, the Government accepted 64 either in whole, in
part or in principle. Two recommendations (31—witness warning
and 67—costing system) were rejected and the remaining nine
either noted or considered.
2. SUMMARY OF
CURRENT POSITION
IN RELATION
TO THE
RECOMMENDATIONS
2.1 Chapter 4: Statistics, Discontinuance
and Downgrading
The Code for Crown Prosecutors is currently
being reviewed, including public consultation. Publication is
planned for September 2000 and interim guidance was issued in
August 1999. Following a seminar with leading academics, the CPS
has bid for resources to fund future research.
The CPS is part of a multi-agency group which
has drawn up short, medium and long-term proposals to identify
and define common statistics across the criminal justice system.
2.2 Chapter 7: Redefining the objectives
For the first time overarching aims and objectives
have been set across the whole criminal justice system. The CPS'
aims and objectives have been revised accordingly to take this
fact into account.
2.3 Chapter 8: The Prosecution Process: Proposals
for Change
New local inter-agency Area Criminal Justice
Strategy Groups and local Trials Issues Groups have been set up
from 1 April 2000. Chief Constables and Chief Crown Prosecutors
have drawn up outline plans, based on national guidance prepared
by a joint police/CPS working group, for the setting up of criminal
justice units (CJUs) and trial units (TUs). CJUs will be joint
police CPS units and will jointly manage prosecution cases in
magistrates' courts. Trial Units will mainly be CPS units and
will handle prosecution cases in the Crown Court. The overall
aim is to ensure that the plans effectively take forward Glidewell's
intentions by eliminating duplication and waste, reducing delay,
improving the quality of case preparation and shifting the CPS
focus toward Crown Court cases. Closer working should reduce delay
in criminal proceedings, over and above the reduction arising
from the Narey provisions, as well as improving co-operation and
communication to reduce the number of adverse case outcomes. Areas
and forces are moving toward implementation within existing resources
depending on local factors, such as accommodation and geography.
The first CJUs and TUs will be in place from May/June 2000.
Development of the CPS timeliness targets is
being taken forward as part of the over-arching CJS timeliness
target for all offenders. Details of the programme were published
in the 1999 CJS Strategic Plan and further details will be included
in the 2000 CJS Strategic Plan to be published later in May.
Proposals on listing in the Crown Court are
being taken forward as part of the Crown Court Programme and will
be developed and introduced this year.
The CPS has trained and introduced a first tranche
of "Designated Caseworkers" to deal with a clearly defined
subset of cases in magistrates' courts; initial feedback on their
performance has been very positive. The CPS has also trained and
introduced solicitor Higher Court Advocates to conduct hearings
(mainly PDHs and appeals against sentence) in the Crown Court.
Training for CPS barristers is being finalised with a view to
beginning their introduction in the Autumn.
Ministers have agreed a three-stage approach
to resolving the disparity between the level of fees paid to prosecution
and defence Counsel. The 2000-01 CPS fee scheme has been amended
as the first step. LCD will review defence fees paid under the
Graduated Fee Scheme in October 2000. The CPS is working with
LCD and the Bar to devise a unified fee scheme for implementation
by April 2001.
In November 1999, six CPS Areas began giving
information direct to complainants/victims in certain categories
of case to explore options and costs for broader implementation.
2.4 Chapter 9: Central Casework and Special
Casework Lawyers
A central Casework Directorate reporting to
the Director, Casework has been retained and restructured to reflect
the recommendations and is likely to be fully operational by the
Summer.
2.5 Chapter 10: Future Organisations, National
Headquarters, Managing the 42 Areas and London
The 42 Areas are in place, the CCPs and the
ABMs were appointed (the CCPs following an open competition) and
all Areas have plans for introducing criminal justice and trial
units.
The Chief Executive and two (one responsible
for Policy, the other for Casework) Directors to support the DPP
are in post. The Director's Strategic Board continues, recently
renamed the CPS Board, and comprises the Director, Chief Executive,
HQ Directors, 10 CCPs and two non-executive Directors. Each CCP
is directly responsible to the DPP and CCPs meet in 10 "family
groups" (based on the nine Government Office Regions plus
Wales) to deal with common local issues and consult as to views.
CPS London is organised in a similar way to
other Areas, though it has three Assistant Chief Crown Prosecutors
(one for each of the three Metropolitan Police areas) and "London
issues" are being taken forward by all the agencies involved.
2.6 Chapter 11: Management and People
Improved career structures for staff are being
taken forward in the introduction of rights of audience and in
the development of criminal justice units and trials units, as
well as in the context of the new HR Strategy. The eligibility
of CPS lawyers for judicial appointments is being considered in
light of a number of recent Human Rights cases, as well as the
Lord Chancellor's recent announcement about changes to judicial
appointments generally.
A new central Training Unit has been set up
and the Head of the Unit, recruited by open competition, is now
in post. All Training and Development Managers have been brought
under a single line management structure and a medium-term overall
Training Strategy is being developed.
2.7 Chapter 12: Information Systems and Technology
The CPS is rolling out a new IT infrastructure
(PCs, network and office automation software) to cover all its
staff using an external contractor. The new infrastructure is
currently being piloted in CPS Sussex, with national rollout due
to take place over the period August 2000 to Spring 2001. Preparation
to let a contract to deliver a case management system, which will
be linked to the NSPIS case preparation system and other cjs agencies
is underway.
2.8 Chapter 13: Financial Accounting, Inspectorate,
Answerability
The CPS is carrying out a fundamental review
of its suite of performance indicators. All Areas have been reporting
quarterly to the centre about their performance against existing
targets and expenditure. The CPS continues to develop its Activity
Based Costing model.
The CPS Inspectorate Bill is currently in the
Commons and is intended to place the Inspectorate on an independent
statutory footing. The Inspectorate's remit has been widened to
cover performance, efficiency and effectiveness in addition to
casework issues. "Business management inspectors" are
being recruited through open competition to bring new perspectives
to inspection, particularly on non-legal themes and external representatives
appointed to the CPSI advisory board. The Chief Inspector will
present an annual report to the Attorney General.
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