Select Committee on Home Affairs Minutes of Evidence


REORGANISATION OF CPS TO MATCH POLICE FORCE AREAS

1.  BACKGROUND

  1.1  The Government decided that the CPS should be reorganised to be coterminous with the police force boundaries to improve inter-agency co-ordination as part of the broader move to co-terminosity in the criminal justice system. This decision pre-dated the Glidewell review, which made a number of recommendations for implementing the new structure.

2.  CURRENT SITUATION

  2.1  On 1 April 1999, the CPS moved from its previous 13 Area, 93 Branch structure to its current 42 Area structure[5]. Criminal Justice Units and Trial Units will replace the existing Branch structure as Areas implement their plans. Co-terminosity has meant clearer local co-ordination with other CJS agencies through, for example, Chief Officer Groups, local TIGs and the new Criminal Justice Strategy Groups.


  2.2  All the Chief Crown Prosecutors (and the three London Assistant Chief Crown Prosecutors) were appointed following an open competition. Each Area is headed by a CCP who is accountable to the DPP for legal decisions and casework and to the Chief Executive, in the first instance, for the efficient, economic and effective management of their Area. The Area Business Managers are responsible to their CCP for the economic, efficient and effective management of their Area.


5   CPS London covers both the Metropolitan Police District and the City of London police force area. Back


 
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