Website of the independent Inspectorate for the Crown Prosecution Service (HMCPSI) whose purpose “is to enhance the quality of justice through independent inspection and assessment of prosecution services”. The site provides access to full text copies of inspections and other publications such as area reports, annual reports and policy documents.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is the part of the criminal justice system which investigates serious fraud in the business and financial sector in the United Kingdom. Its website provides information on the purpose and structure of the organisation and sections of the site deal with fraud, bribery and corruption, victims and witnesses. There are recent press releases, its operational handbook and annual reports from 1996 onwards. The latter contain details of cases prosecuted and frauds under investigation.
This website provides full text access to the 1999 report of the Inquiry into Crown Prosecution Service Decision-Making in Relation to Deaths in Custody and Related Matters chaired by Gerald Butler QC. There are chapters dealing with the specific cases of Richard Joseph O’Brien, Oluwashijibomi Lapite and Derek John Treadaway and other death in custody cases.
Full-text report of the inquiry into the police investigation of the murder of the black teenager Stephen Lawrence which was published as Cm 4262-1 in February 1999. Volume one examines the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, analyses the police handling of the case including the initial gathering of evidence at the scene, surveillance of suspects and the failure to prosecute the prime suspects. Recommendations for the reform of the Metropolitan Police service and UK police forces as a whole are made in the report.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the highest court of appeal for the UK’s overseas territories and crown dependencies, and for certain Commonwealth countries. Its website provides a description of the Committee’s work, together with biographies of the justices, practice directions, rules and forms. Judgments are available from November 2009 onwards (earlier judgments are on the Privy Council Office website and BAILII) and summaries of pending cases are also provided.
Web page of the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG) which forms part of the Ministry of Justice website. The OJAG deals with criminal trials of service men and women in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force for serious offences and where defendants choose not to be dealt with by the Commanding Officer. Cases are heard in a Court Martial by a Judge Advocate. The site includes guidance on the Court Martial including proceedings and sentencing.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation is the government body which inspects the efficiency of the UK probation service in order to ensure that the operation of community sentences is effective. Its website describes the purpose of the body and provides a list of the geographical probation areas which it has inspected recently and forthcoming surveys. It is possible to access the full-text of its inspection reports of specific probation services and reports on themes such as young people and women offenders from 1996 onwards.
This site provides access to the full-text of all HMIP reports issued from 1998 onwards. They are arranged alphabetically by name of establishment and include women's prisons and detention centres for juvenile offenders. Each report provides statistics on the number of prison inmates, details on the management of the prison and assessment by the inspectors of such factors as atmosphere, staffing levels and provision for health care and education. Reports often contain criticisms of the prisons and recommendations for future action.
Website of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB). The IMB are unpaid members of the public appointed by the British Home Office to monitor conditions inside prisons, remand centres and immigration detention centres. The site provides information on the aims, role and activities of the boards one of which is attached to each prison and immigration centre There are annual reports and other reports on issues such as conditions for asylum seekers at immigration detention removal centres and slopping out.
The Justice web portal is a government site providing information on the administration and regulation of justice in England and Wales. It provides information about and links to government bodies concerned with the justice system including the Ministry of Justice, the Youth Justice Board and HM Courts and Tribunals Service. The site has a court finder, court hearing lists,
downloadable forms, inspection reports, guidance for the legal profession, policy documents, research, statistics and data.
