New South Wales Police Prosecutor (From Improving Access to Justice: The Future of Paralegal Professionals -- Conference Proceedings, 1990, Canberra, Australia, P 103-106, 1991, Julia Vernon and Francis Regan, eds. -- See NCJ-129734)

• NCJ Number: 129747
• Author(s): K Drew
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

Australia's New South Wales police prosecution service began in 1941 and still remains a major component of the local court system.

Abstract

In 1981, some officials recommended that the police prosecution branch be phased out as soon as possible. Other officials, however, did not find incompetence or inefficiency in the branch or complaints about services. The police prosecution service is still part of the local court system, even though there has been a gradual movement of prosecution responsibilities away from the police. In 1984, for example, responsibility for the conduct of criminal proceedings against police officers passed from the police administration to Australia's office of the solicitor for public prosecution. The use of police prosecutor paralegals is expected to continue in New South Wales, but with limits on their role and involvement. Seven reasons are cited for the success of the New South Wales police prosecution service: adherence to discipline within the organization; incorporation of an anticorruption plan; extensive training before officers can act without supervision; statistical data base of applications for withdrawal from the service; statistical data base of work rates; maintenance of a prosecutors' digest of case law; and maintenance of a digest of indictments. 9 references and 3 endnotes