HMCPSI Annual Report 2016-17
The report highlights the inspection work that was carried out in 2016-17.
The year is notable for the roll-out of the CPS Area Assurance Programme (AAP). This is now embedded and will be core to HMCPSI’s work from now on. The methodology, which adopts a standard inspection framework, was first used in two pilots in the South West and Cymru-Wales before being employed in three further inspections in East Midlands, Wessex, and Yorkshire and Humberside.
Trends from this year’s inspections include good leadership across inspected Areas, including at strategic level. It was particularly encouraging to find that the CPS and police forces are working together much more in joint operational meetings, together with a commitment to engage with partners across all Areas. Budgetary controls are generally good, however no Area was assessed as better than fair in delivering high quality casework.
An early ‘snapshot’ report of the CPS contribution to the Crown Court Better Case Management initiative was undertaken, where we found the results were positive. We have completed four further inspections: a follow-up on the magistrates’ court Transforming Summary Justice initiative, the accuracy of the recording of CPS case finalisations, the police and CPS response to harassment and stalking (all now published) and the handling of disclosure of unused material (due for publication on 18 July). The latter two are joint inspections with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).
The Annual Report also looks ahead to the next 12 months and the completion of AAP in respect of the remaining seven CPS Areas (excluding London). We are also intending to look at modern slavery and human trafficking, hate crime, custody time limits, and the CPS internal fraud controls and Individual Quality Assurance process, among other things. The first two pieces of work will be with HMIC.
Further information on proposed inspections will be included in the HMCPSI Business Plan 2017-18, which will be published shortly.