NCJ Number
133730
Date Published
1990
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This review of the criminal justice system in England and Wales describes the organizations responsible for administering criminal justice and the procedures involved.
Abstract
Government departments sharing the responsibility for criminal justice include the Home Office, the Lord Chancellor's Department, and the Crown Prosecution Service. There are about 125,000 police officers and 47,000 civilians in England and Wales in 43 police forces. The 1972 Courts Act replaced courts of assize and quarter sessions with a single Crown Court that can sit anywhere in England and Wales. There are about 6,750 probation officers who supervise orders imposed on offenders including probation, community service, suspended sentence supervision, and money payment supervision. The Prison Service accommodates a prison population of about 47,000 and is organized in four regions under a Director-General. The Crown Prosecution Service has over 100 local offices that are responsible for conducting all police-initiated prosecutions. Procedures within the criminal justice system have been established for detection and charging, remands, offense categories, magistrate courts, trial by injury, juvenile courts, sentencing, parole, and remission. England and Wales have a generous Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme for individuals injured due to crime. Compensation covers pain and suffering, loss of facility, and loss of earnings. Local victim support schemes cover 94 percent of the population and provide assistance to crime victims. Statistics on offenses, offenders, and the prison population are provided. 32 references, 1 table, and 2 figures