HMCPSI: Serious Youth Crime
CPS starting to address gap in specialist prosecutions for young people
Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has today published the findings of its latest report on the handling of youth cases by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The inspection revealed regional discrepancies as to how well youth charging decisions and casework is handled. However, inspectors found that the CPS has already begun to address this issue including by rolling out its youth training programme nationally.
Since HMCPSI last inspected this issue in 2013, far fewer children now find themselves in the criminal justice system. Those engaged in low level criminality are more likely to be dealt with by way of out-of-court cautions or community resolutions.
However, when youth cases do reach court, the cases are often increasingly complex. Today’s report shows that, consequently, most youth cases are now prepared in magistrates’ court teams within the CPS that struggle to complete their workload with the resources available.
The inspection also found that youth policy and guidance was only applied fully in 38% of the cases inspected. In CPS Areas where youth casework is not separated from adult magistrates’ court casework some very serious allegations are being reviewed and prepared by prosecutors who do not have the necessary training and experience.
There are some aspects of casework quality that need urgent attention. This includes how often they consider the vulnerability of a defendant in public interest decisions (which happened in fewer than half of the relevant cases) and how successfully they comply with their duties in relation to the disclosure of unused material (which were not met fully in 44% of the cases examined).
The quality of casework was markedly better in Areas with engaged and effective youth justice coordinators. However not all Areas set out what was expected from their coordinators.
Commenting on the findings, HM Chief Inspector, Kevin McGinty said:
“Given the reduction in resources that the CPS has faced in recent years, it has had to make some difficult decisions about where it focuses its attention. This inspection shows that serious youth casework has suffered as a result but that the CPS is now addressing this gap.
The CPS needs to ensure that youth work is prioritised nationwide and that it learns from the CPS Areas which do this well through strong leadership and ongoing training.”
Notes to editors
- A copy of the report is attached.
- Inspectors assessed 280 cases (20 youth court cases from each of the 14 CPS areas). A set of 59 questions were used to assess the quality of the casework.
- Interviews were conducted at an Area and national level, including with the Chief Crown Prosecutor who holds the national youth portfolio, the national legal training manager and police lead, and local Area youth justice coordinator.
- It is only in some cases, in some CPS Areas, where casework is being prepared and reviewed by prosecutors who lack training and experience in youth casework (see section 1.5 of the full report).