About the Crown Prosecution Service

The principal State prosecution body for cases assigned to the CPS.

The CPS receives case material from police and other authorised investigators, makes independent prosecution decisions within its remit, prepares cases and conducts prosecutions where authorised.

The CPS is a non-ministerial department within the Attorney General’s Office departmental family. It is distinct from the police, courts, Ministry of Justice and Judiciary.

The Attorney General superintends the CPS and is accountable to Parliament for the prosecution system, while individual prosecution decisions remain independent.

• independent prosecution decisions
• case file review and prosecution assessment
• charging decisions where authorised
• case preparation and court presentation
• prosecution records and public guidance
• victim and witness communication within the prosecution role