DOCSLIB.ORG

COPFS Fact Sheet 1 October 2016

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
COPFS Fact Sheet 1 October 2016 COPFS Fact Sheet 1 October 2016 COPFS EFFECTIVENESS, EFFICIENCY AND RESOURCES Introduction 1. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland’s sole public prosecution service. COPFS receives reports about crimes from the police and other reporting agencies and then decides what action to take, including whether to offer a direct measure or to prosecute someone and, if so, in what forum. COPFS also investigates deaths that need further explanation and investigates and prosecutes allegations of criminal conduct against police officers. 2. In addition, COPFS provides instructions and directions to the police in connection with their investigations1. This happens particularly in serious cases, where the police work very closely with the Procurator Fiscal. 3. Following receipt of a report from the police, the Procurator Fiscal must first decide whether to take criminal proceedings and will only do so when there is sufficient evidence to proceed. If there is sufficient evidence to proceed, the Procurator Fiscal will then decide whether it is in the public interest to do so, following the principles contained in the Prosecution Code. If a decision is taken to commence criminal proceedings in court2, the action taken thereafter depends on whether proceedings are taken at summary level (no jury) or solemn level (before a jury in either the Sheriff Court or the High Court): a. Summary level: The Procurator Fiscal decides what charges the accused should face and in what court (the Sheriff Court or the Justice of the Peace Court) and drafts a summary complaint outlining those charges. The accused then appears in court on those charges. If the accused is in custody the Procurator Fiscal must decide whether or not to oppose bail, the decision to grant or refuse bail being one for the court to take. If bail is appropriate, the Procurator Fiscal must assess whether any special conditions of bail should be requested from the court, such as a condition that the accused stays away from a particular place or person for their safety. In the period prior to trial the Procurator Fiscal often has to carry out a number of further enquiries, such as requesting forensic examination of items and instructing the police to carry our further investigations. The Procurator Fiscal will also disclose relevant 1 Section 12 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 requires the Chief Constable to comply with instructions issued by the Lord Advocate with regard to the reporting of offences. Additionally, section 17 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 requires the chief constable to comply with lawful instructions issued by the prosecutor in relation to the investigation of offences. 2 There are additionally a number of direct measures that the Procurator Fiscal can take, such as issuing a warning letter or a fiscal fine. The maximum level of fiscal fine is currently £300. 1 COPFS Fact Sheet 1 October 2016 evidence to the accused’s lawyer and make arrangements for witnesses to attend court to give evidence at the trial. The disclosure of evidence involves the Procurator Fiscal assessing all of the evidence in the case to decide what is relevant and whether any sensitive information should be withheld from the accused’s lawyer e.g. a witness’ home address or telephone number. The accused can choose to plead guilty at any stage of the proceedings and in some cases the Procurator Fiscal will agree to resolve the case by way of a plea of guilty to some of the charges in the case, balancing the public interest in securing a conviction with the particular circumstances of the case in question. The Procurator Fiscal will then conduct the trial if the accused continues to plead not guilty at the trial. VIA staff are dedicated to working closely with the prosecutors in the Sheriff Court to provide information and advice to child victims and victims of crime in cases of domestic abuse, hate crime, sexual crime. b. Solemn Level (a jury trial) The Procurator Fiscal drafts a petition warrant, outlining preliminary charges that the accused will face in court, and gives similar consideration to the question of bail. If the accused is remanded in custody he appears in court eight days later. By this time the Procurator Fiscal will have examined the evidence and must be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to proceed further. Once again the question of bail is considered. The precognition investigation now commences, with the Crown undertaking additional enquiries including, in appropriate cases, the interviewing (known as “precognition”) of witnesses, including victims. Similar work to prepare the case involving the disclosure of evidence and the bringing of witnesses to court is undertaken along with, in complex cases, the instruction and consideration of expert and forensic evidence. The Procurator Fiscal then reports the case to Crown Counsel, who decide whether the accused should be indicted for a trial before a jury and, if so, in the Sheriff Court or the High Court. The accused then appears in court on indictment and, if he pleads not guilty, the case will proceed to trial, with a trial in the Sheriff Court being conducted by a Procurator Fiscal Depute and in the High Court by an Advocate Depute. Unlike in England and Wales, the accused cannot elect for a trial before a jury. VIA staff also work with jury prosecutors in the Sheriff Court and Advocate Deputes in the High Court to keep victims informed throughout the case. 4. Specialities arise in the case of child accused. In Scotland, a person can be prosecuted from the age of 12. However, a protocol has been agreed with the 2 COPFS Fact Sheet 1 October 2016 Children’s Reporter covering the circumstances in which cases require to be reported to the Procurator Fiscal. As a general rule, this will only happen in the more serious cases. Prior to making a decision about proceedings in these cases, the Procurator Fiscal must discuss the case with the Reporter to assist in deciding the best way to proceed. Criminal proceedings can only be taken against child accused on the authority of Crown Counsel. 5. All cases remain under review at all times. Sufficiency of evidence and whether it is in public interest for proceedings to continue are always kept under consideration and the Crown will bring proceedings to an end if these requirements are no longer met. Lord Advocate, Solicitor General, Advocate Deputes and Procurators Fiscal 6. The Ministerial Head of COPFS is the Lord Advocate. He is the senior of the two Law Officers and has four roles: Head of the systems of prosecution and investigation of deaths; Principal legal adviser to the Scottish Government; Represents the Scottish Government in civil proceedings; Represents the public interest in a range of statutory and common law civil functions. 7. The Solicitor General is the Lord Advocate's deputy. 8. All criminal proceedings on indictment, whether in the High Court or the Sheriff Court, proceed in the name of the Lord Advocate. Advocate Deputes are appointed by the Lord Advocate and are vested with his powers in relation to the prosecution of crime. They make decisions in serious cases, they advise Procurators Fiscal on complex or sensitive issues, decide which cases should be prosecuted in the High Court, and conduct criminal proceedings in the High Court. Together, the Lord Advocate, Solicitor General and the Advocate Deputes are known as Crown Counsel. 9. The public prosecutor in the Sheriff and Justice of the Peace courts is the Procurator Fiscal. Summary criminal proceedings proceed in the name of the relevant procurator fiscal. Each sheriff court district has a Procurator Fiscal who normally has a number of deputes, and the definition of “procurator fiscal” includes them and any other person duly authorised to execute the duties of the Procurator Fiscal. Procurators Fiscal are appointed by and subject to the authority of the Lord Advocate, and they are under an obligation to obey his instructions. 3 COPFS Fact Sheet 1 October 2016 10. In relation to criminal prosecutions and the investigation of deaths the Law Officers have always acted independently of other Ministers and, indeed, of any other person. That duty is now expressly set out in s.48(5) of the Scotland Act 1998. Therefore, whilst COPFS is part of the Scottish Government, the independence of COPFS in relation to its prosecution decision making and the investigation of deaths is a long-standing principle of the Scottish criminal justice system and that independence is now enshrined in legislation. Crown Agent and COPFS Structure 11. The Crown Agent is the permanent Civil Service Head of COPFS acting in three distinct capacities: as principal advisor to the Lord Advocate on all prosecutions and deaths investigation; as Civil Service Head and Chief Executive of the Service; and as the professional head of the lawyers within COPFS. He also is also ex officio the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer, overseeing the claiming of Bona Vacantia (ownerless property including the estates of deceased persons who have no known heir) and the operation of the Treasure Trove system in Scotland. 12. As Accountable Officer for COPFS, the Crown Agent is answerable to the Scottish Parliament for the regularity and propriety of COPFS finance and the stewardship of public monies. 13. The Crown Agent is supported by three Deputy Crown Agents, each of whom is responsible for one of three functions: Local Court Delivery; Serious Casework; and Operational Support. The remit of each function is as follows: (a) Local Court – This function provides a local prosecution service dealing with both summary and sheriff and jury business in the various localities of Scotland.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Data Report: January 2021
    This publication will be available in accessible HTML on the gov.scot website. Justice Analytical Services Coronavirus (COVID-19) Data Report: January 2021 Published 25th February 2021 Summary This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during January 2021. Data has been gathered from a number of different sources and may be subject to future revision. Public compliance This pack includes information on COVID-19 related interventions undertaken by Police Scotland. In addition to this, information on the public’s compliance with measures to help restrict the spread of COVID-19 is collected from surveys of the population. Findings from these surveys can be found in the Public attitudes to Coronavirus: January Update. Claimed compliance was high in November and December. Police activity Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Courts & Prisons COPFS greatly reduced the Recorded crime was 6% lower over number of reports awaiting marking April 2020 to January 2021 January 2021. compared to the preceding year. To reduce footfall in lockdown, the The number of incidents remain majority of summary business was below 2020 levels. adjourned on 12th January. Domestic abuse incidents were 4% Community disposals were higher in April 2020 to January returning to 19-20 levels but there 2021 compared to the preceding remains a backlog of cases (and year. associated disposals) to conclude. Coronavirus interventions Initiations and disposals in the civil increased by 43% between court remain below 19-20 levels. December 2020 and January 2021. Prison populations decreased slightly as court business abated. The number of prisoners on remand remain at historically high levels.
    [Show full text]
  • An Overview of Scotland's Criminal Justice System
    An overview of Scotland’s criminal justice system Prepared for the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission September 2011 Auditor General for Scotland The Auditor General for Scotland is the Parliament’s watchdog for helping to ensure propriety and value for money in the spending of public funds. He is responsible for investigating whether public spending bodies achieve the best possible value for money and adhere to the highest standards of financial management. He is independent and not subject to the control of any member of the Scottish Government or the Parliament. The Auditor General is responsible for securing the audit of the Scottish Government and most other public sector bodies except local authorities and fire and police boards. The following bodies fall within the remit of the Auditor General: • directorates of the Scottish Government • government agencies, eg the Scottish Prison Service, Historic Scotland • NHS bodies • further education colleges • Scottish Water • NDPBs and others, eg Scottish Enterprise. The Accounts Commission The Accounts Commission is a statutory, independent body which, through the audit process, requests local authorities in Scotland to achieve the highest standards of financial stewardship and the economic, efficient and effective use of their resources. The Commission has four main responsibilities: • securing the external audit, including the audit of Best Value and Community Planning • following up issues of concern identified through the audit, to ensure satisfactory resolutions • carrying out national performance studies to improve economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local government • issuing an annual direction to local authorities which sets out the range of performance information they are required to publish.
    [Show full text]
  • SEPA Enforcement Report 2015-2016
    SEPA Enforcement Report 2015-2016 SEPA Enforcement Report 2015-20161 Foreword The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) Enforcement Report is an annual publication. The Enforcement Report provides an overview of enforcement action taken by us, summarising how we have deployed the enforcement tools which are available to us to deal with those who have failed to comply with the environmental legislation, which exists to protect Scotland’s environment, local communities and our economy. The enforcement tools available to us have assisted us in delivering a number of successful actions over recent years. This report will be the final report in its current format, which focuses largely on the deployment of Statutory Notices, Final Warning Letters and Reports to the Procurator Fiscal. This is because the range of enforcement tools available to us changed on 1 June 2016, when our new Enforcement Policy came into effect. Our next report will also include details of the way in which SEPA has deployed Fixed Monetary Penalties, Variable Monetary Penalties, Enforcement Undertakings and Non-Compliance Penalties, all of which are now available to us to achieve our outcomes. In comparison to 2014- 2015, SEPA utilised its formal enforcement tools less frequently. You will see more detail of this in Section 1.1.1. During this time, the rates of compliance of those we regulate improved. Section 1.3.2 of the report shows a reduction in the average level of fine imposed by the Scottish Criminal Courts for environmental offences over the last year as well as exploring some background to this, and illustrates the dramatic effect in England of the introduction of Sentencing Guidelines for environmental offences by the English Sentencing Council.
    [Show full text]
  • Margaret Mitchell, MSP Convener of the Justice Committee the Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP
    Margaret Mitchell, MSP Convener of the Justice Committee The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP By Email: [email protected] 8th July 2020 Dear Convenor, Thank you for your letter of 18 June 2020. I am very glad to provide the follow-up information you have requested after my appearance with the Crown Agent before the Justice Committee on 16 June 2020. 1. The Crown Agent mentioned the work of a group with SPS, Police Scotland and others on custody cases and remote video links. It would be helpful to have more details on the work of this group and when it expects to conclude with an operational service. The group to which the Crown Agent referred is the Virtual Custody Courts group, which is part of a new structure now established under the authority of the Justice Board and led by a Criminal Justice Board on which the chief executives of the key criminal justice organisations sit, to co-ordinate recovery activity in the criminal courts. A number of groups (each one led by a senior member of one of the criminal justice organisations) have been established within that structure to address different aspects of the recovery process. The group dealing with virtual custody courts is led by a senior police officer and the group dealing with virtual trial courts is led by a senior member of the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS). Other groups are focusing on the summary criminal process, community justice and, in due course once the Lord Justice Clerk’s working group has developed a model for jury trials in the High Court, jury trials in the Sheriff Court.
    [Show full text]
  • Police Scotland
    A summary of community options Alternatives to Prosecution Alternatives to Remand Alternatives to Custody Shetland Community Justice Partnership A Summary of Community Options Contents 1. Introduction and Useful Terms ..................................................................................................... 4 o 1.1 Purpose and intended Audience ............................................................................................ 4 o 1.2 Options available ................................................................................................................... 4 o 1.3 Why different options are used – research and evidence ....................................................... 5 o 1.4 Useful terms .......................................................................................................................... 6 2. Information for Victims and Witnesses of Crime .......................................................................... 9 o 2.1 Your rights as a victim or witness ........................................................................................... 9 o 2.2 Information on progress of cases ........................................................................................... 9 o 2.3 Right to information – victims and witnesses ....................................................................... 10 o 2.4 Support for victims and witnesses ....................................................................................... 11 3. Alternatives to Prosecution, Remand and Custody
    [Show full text]
  • Professor Adam Tomkins MSP Convener RNID Typetalk Prefix: 18001 Justice Committee Scottish Parliament DX 540310, Edinburgh 38 EH99 1SP
    Professor Adam Tomkins MSP Convener RNID Typetalk prefix: 18001 Justice Committee Scottish Parliament DX 540310, Edinburgh 38 EH99 1SP Via e-mail: [email protected] 2 September 2020 Dear Convener, FISCAL FINES I refer to my letter to your predecessor of 8 June 2020, describing the operation of fiscal fines under the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act). I confirmed that COPFS would continue to monitor the use of fiscal fines under the 2020 Act, and that I would update the Committee once statistics for June and July 2020 were available. COPFS has produced an updated indicative analysis of relevant marking decisions for cases reported between April and July 2020. Whilst these figures should be understood as first markings only, COPFS has provided, where available, information on final disposals where a paid or accepted fiscal fine has been recorded. It may be helpful, if I set out some general information, by way of context for the statistical information which I set out below, as the Committee will be aware, the “fiscal fine” (technically, a conditional offer of a fixed penalty under section 302 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995) is one of a suite of direct measures which, by statute, may be offered by the procurator fiscal to an accused person. The other direct measures are a fiscal work order, a fiscal compensation offer and a combined fixed penalty and compensation offer. These direct measures are alternatives to prosecution in court, provided that the accused pays the “fiscal fine” or otherwise fulfils the offer. Other European jurisdictions have, in recent times, established analogous regimes for the conditional disposal of cases.
    [Show full text]
  • Letter from the Lord Advocate to the Convener
    Margaret Mitchell, MSP Convener of the Justice Committee The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP By Email: [email protected] 8th June 2020 Dear Convener, FISCAL FINES Thank you for your letter of 15 May 2020 in relation to information about the impact of new fiscal fine levels under the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020. It may be useful, firstly, to set fiscal fines within the context of the decision making process by the Procurator Fiscal and secondly, to describe the fiscal fine process itself, as context for the information specifically on the use of this measure at this time. Decision Making Process On receipt of a report alleging that a criminal offence has been committed, Procurators Fiscal must apply the test for prosecutorial action set out in the published Prosecution Code. The first step is to consider whether the report describes a crime known to the law of Scotland. Thereafter, the prosecutor must decide if there is sufficient evidence to establish the essential facts of the case i.e. there must be two sources of evidence which indicate that the crime was committed and that the accused person was the perpetrator. Without sufficient evidence in law, the Procurator Fiscal cannot take prosecutorial action. Finally, assuming that the first two questions are answered affirmatively, the prosecutor must decide what action, if any, best serves the public interest. The factors which require to be taken into account in assessing the public interest will vary according to the circumstances of each case. The published Prosecution Code sets out the factors which, depending on those circumstances, may be considered by the Procurator Fiscal.
    [Show full text]
  • Report No 566/05
    REPORT NO 566/05 ANGUS COUNCIL STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEE – 10 MAY 2005 REVIEW OF SUMMARY JUSTICE – SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE’S PROPOSALS REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR OF LAW & ADMINISTRATION ABSTRACT This Report advises members of the Scottish Executive’s proposals in relation to the previous consultation document on the Review of Summary Justice. 1. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Committee notes the proposals. 2. BACKGROUND Reference is made to Report 814/04 which advised members of the consultation being undertaken by the Scottish Executive in connection with the Review of Summary Justice and proposed responses thereto on behalf of the Council. The Scottish Executive have now issued a document entitled “Smarter Justice, Safer Communities – Summary Justice Reform – Next Steps”. This document contains the Scottish Executive’s proposals on how reform of Summary Justice will be implemented and this Report advises members of the implications of those proposals for Angus Council. Members will recall that Angus Council is responsible for running the District Court within the Commission Area of Angus (which includes the whole county). Although there is one District Court within the Angus Commission Area, it sits in three separate locations, namely in Arbroath on a weekly basis each Friday, in Forfar on the first Wednesday of each month and in Brechin on the third Wednesday of each month. Due to pressure of accommodation within Forfar Sheriff Court because of sittings of the High Court, for approximately three years the Forfar District Court has sat in Brechin on the first Monday of each month. The type of offences which are referred by the Procurator Fiscal to this Court include many of the driving offences including speeding, other road traffic offences, breach of the peace, assaults, all failures to pay fixed penalties offered by the Fiscal and other less serious offences.
    [Show full text]
  • Justice 1 Committee
    CPR 2 Justice 1 Committee Criminal Proceedings etc. (Reform) (Scotland) Bill Written submission from William Young As a respondee to the consultation held on the recommendations of Summary Justice Review Committee I am delighted to be given this opportunity to provide written evidence to express my concerns to a couple of the proposals in this Bill. I do hope that my concerns provide you with an opportunity to ratify changes or deletions to the Bill if you are satisfied that these concerns are justified. Can I start by declaring an interest as a Presiding Justice of the peace for Aberdeen City a former member of the Children’s Panel and a current member of the Children’s Panel advisory Committee. The provisions of the Bill have 8 main policy areas however I only want to comment upon the one area I have concern for, all other areas I consider welcome or appropriate. 1 Alternative to Prosecution Scotland’s proud history of Justice demands that justice is not only done but seen to be done. Justice in my opinion needs to be administered quickly fairly and above all by a Court of Law. The introduction of a “fiscal fine” was a parting of the way as to how Scotland operated its judicial system however I agree and accept that fiscal fines are of benefit to Scotland’s justice system in appropriate and well laid out circumstance’s. Of course only the Lord Advocate and the Fiscal in each Region of Scotland are aware of the guidelines for the use of Fiscal fines.
    [Show full text]
  • Prosecution in the Public Interest
    Prosecution in the Public Interest The Rt. Hon. James Wolffe QC Lord Advocate Apex Scotland Annual Lecture SIGNET LIBRARY 5 SEPTEMBER 2017 APEX SCOTLAND Previous Apex Scotland Annual Lectures have been delivered by: 6 September 2016 9 September 2008 Fraser Kelly Kenny MacAskill Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Scotland Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Richard Jeffrey, The Prisons Commission 1 September 2015 Michael Matheson MSP 11 September 2007 Cabinet Secretary for Justice Professor Wesley Skogan Institute for Policy Research (IPR), 2 September 2014 Northwestern University, Illinois Professor Lesley McAra Co-Director, Edinburgh Study of Youth 12 September 2006 Transitions and Crime, University of Edinburgh The Rt. Hon. Lord Cullen of Whitekirk 3 September 2013 13 September 2005 Sir Stephen House Cathy Jamieson MSP Chief Constable of Police Scotland Justice Minister 4 September 2012 15 September 2004 Jeane Freeman OBE Duncan L Murray WS President of the Law Society of Scotland 6 September 2011 Tam Baillie 16 September 2003 Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and The First Minister, The Rt. Hon. Jack McConnell Young People MSP 7 September 2010 18 May 1998 Baroness Vivien Stern CBE Henry McLeish MP Senior Research Fellow at the International Minister for Home Affairs and Devolution, Centre for Prison Studies King’s College London Scottish Office 8 September 2009 Professor Fergus McNeill Professor of Criminology and Social Work, University of Glasgow ANNUAL LECTURE 2017 Foreword Pierre Trudeau once stated that “the essential Just hours before, the Scottish ingredient of politics is timing”, and we at Apex Scotland Government had announced its intentionally try to align the lecture topic with key issues intention to extend the presumption and moments in the political/justice environment of against short sentences to a year.
    [Show full text]
  • COVID-19) Data Report
    This publication will be available in accessible HTML on the gov.scot website Justice Analytical Services Coronavirus (COVID-19) Data Report: November 2020 Published 22nd December 2020 Summary This pack provides information on the impact of COVID-19 on the Justice system during November 2020. Data has been gathered from a number of different sources and may be subject to future revision. Public compliance This pack includes information on COVID-19 related interventions undertaken by Police Scotland. In addition to this, information on the public’s compliance with measures to help restrict the spread of COVID-19 is collected from surveys of the population. Findings from these surveys can be found in the Public attitudes to Coronavirus: November Update. Claimed compliance in Phase 3 has been high. Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Police activity Service (COPFS), Courts & Prisons Total reports received by COPFS are above the 19-20 average. Recorded crime was 6% lower over April to November compared to last COPFS reports awaiting marking year. continue to increase beyond 19-20 levels. The number of incidents remain below 2019 levels. There were 27,872 fewer disposals from courts between April and Domestic abuse incidents were 6% November compared to last year. higher in April to November 2020 compared to last year. Community disposals are returning to 19-20 levels but there remains a Coronavirus interventions backlog of cases (and associated increased by just under a third disposals) to conclude. (31%) between October and November. Initiations and disposals in the civil court remain below 19-20 levels. Prison populations decreased as court business abated.
    [Show full text]
  • Consultation on Decriminalising TV Licence Evasion
    Consultation Response Consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion 1 April 2020 Introduction The Law Society of Scotland is the professional body for over 11,000 Scottish solicitors. With our overarching objective of leading legal excellence, we strive to excel and to be a world-class professional body, understanding and serving the needs of our members and the public. We set and uphold standards to ensure the provision of excellent legal services and ensure the public can have confidence in Scotland’s solicitor profession. We have a statutory duty to work in the public interest, a duty which we are strongly committed to achieving through our work to promote a strong, varied and effective solicitor profession working in the interests of the public and protecting and promoting the rule of law. We seek to influence the creation of a fairer and more just society through our active engagement with the Scottish and United Kingdom Governments, Parliaments, wider stakeholders and our membership. Our Criminal Law Committee welcomes the opportunity to consider and respond to the UK GOVERNMENT: Consultation on decriminalising TV licence evasion (the consultation). The committee has the following comments to put forward for consideration. General At the outset, it is disappointing to note that this UK wide consultation does not consider in depth the Scottish prosecution position. We note that it makes one scant reference to Scotland and the role of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) at Page 101 of the consultation which cross refers to the Perry Report.1 This is in contrast to Annex E of the consultation which sets out in considerable detail the prosecution position for England and Wales though of course similar, there are a number of differences such as the relevant figures for criminal prosecutions2 which quote those only for England and Wales.
    [Show full text]