Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what processes there are by which (a) local residents, (b) victims of crime and (c) others can challenge a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute a criminal case; and if he will make a statement.

Victims of crime can challenge a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision not to prosecute their case, under the Victims’ Right to Review (VRR) scheme. A local resident may be eligible if the individual comes within the scheme’s definition of ‘victim’.

Further guidance about the VRR scheme can be found here: http://www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/victims_right_to_review/index.html

The CPS also operates both Feedback and Complaints schemes to deal with concerns about legal decisions which do not fall within the scope of the VRR scheme.