CPS strengthens its Hate Crime charging decisions

The CPS strengthens its approach to hate crime charging decisions

Addressing concerns around the recent rise in antisemitic hate crime, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Stephen Parkinson, has reaffirmed the Crown Prosecution Service's commitment to ensuring swift and effective action in cases involving hostility and hate.

The CPS has updated its legal guidance on hate crime charging decisions to reinforce the importance of timely decision-making where the evidential threshold is met.

This new guidance applies to all types of hate crime.

The aim is to ensure consistent and timely decision-making across the CPS so that where there is sufficient evidence, cases are charged and progressed without unnecessary delay. This is central to maintaining public confidence and ensuring victims see effective action taken in response to hate crime.

Stephen Parkinson has also reiterated the importance of reporting these crimes:

"We are engaging directly with Jewish communities to ensure their voices are heard and concerns addressed. To anyone who has experienced or witnessed antisemitic abuse or violence, I encourage you to report it to police. Your reports matter and this guidance allows us to work with policing to take swift action and ensure that offenders face justice."

This update supports the CPS's wider commitment to tackling hate crime and improving casework, including stronger decision-making, improved consistency and a focus on delivering justice efficiently and fairly.

Link to guidance here