CJS working together for the public

Northumbria 

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Jargon Buster

• Absolute Discharge
  Although the defendant is guilty of the offence the court takes the view that no punishment is necessary.
• Action Plan Order The court sets down a series of requirements that the defendant must comply with for a period of months under the supervision of social services, probation service or Youth Offending Teams. The purpose is to rehabilitate and prevent further offences. Failure to comply results in the return to court, re-sentence for the original offence and / or a fine for the breach.
• Attendance Centre Order The defendant has to do certain activities while being supervised by an attendance centre officer. If he/she fails to comply with the terms of the order she could be taken back to court and fined for the breach or re-sentenced for the (offence).
• Acquitted Found not guilty.
• ASBO
  Anti Social Behaviour Order.
• Bail
  Bail can be granted by the courts or the police. Where bail is granted, the person is released from custody until the next date when they must attend court or the police station.
  If bail is refused, this will be because the police or the court believes that if released on bail the person will abscond (not turn up to court), commit an offence, interfere with witnesses or otherwise interfere with the criminal justice process.
• Bind Overs The defendant accepts their behaviour fell below the standards that most people would find acceptable and agreed to be bund over to keep the peace. The magistrates bind over for a set sum over a set period of time.
  
  This means that, if during that time, he / she is convicted of a new offence or admits breaching the peace again, the court can take some or all of the amount from the defendant as well as sentencing him for the new offence or binding him over again.
• Cautions
  A caution means that the defendant has to attend a police station where he/she will be spoken to formally by a senior police officer. The defendant must admit that he committed the offence. They will be warned about their behaviour and the consequences if they commit another offence. The caution will then be recorded in writing. Although a caution is not a conviction, it can be put before a court if the defendant is convicted of another offence. After the defendant has been cautioned, the offence will be dropped.
• CDRP
  Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
• CJS
  Criminal Justice System.
• CPO Case Progression officers – Courts, police and CPS all employ CPOs who are responsible for ensuring cases are ready to proceed. The CPS CPOs are also responsible for liaison with victims where charges are altered or cases are dropped.
• Community sentence / community penalty
  A sentence imposed by the courts which will be delivered in the community. 
• Community Order
  Community Orders are sentences imposed by the court and delivered by the probation service in the community. There are 12 different requirements, designed to punish the offender, protect the public, rehabilitate and reduce reoffending. The 12 requirements can be used in different combinations to meet the needs of the offender and an order might include anything from one requirement to four or five. The 12 requirements are: supervision, unpaid work, offending behaviour programmes, curfew, drug rehabilitation (DRR), alcohol treatment, mental health treatment, residence, exclusion from specified areas, prohibition from specified activities (eg, owning a computer or accessing the internet) , activity, exclusion, attendance centre.
  
  Community orders are strictly enforced and anyone who does not comply will be breached and returned to court.
• Community Order with a curfew requirement
  Curfew requirements are used as a punishment to reduce the offenders opportunities for criminal activity. They also protect the local community from anti social behaviour. Offenders must stay indoors, usually at their home, for the curfew period. A tag, worn on the ankle notifies the monitoring service if the offender is absent during the curfew hours.
• Compensation
  If someone is caught and convicted the criminal court may order the offender to pay compensation.
• Conviction
  A conviction is each finding of guilt for every (notifiable) offence considered by a criminal court for each convicted person. A finding of guilt would include a plea of guilt.
• Conditional Discharge
  A sentence given to a defendant which means that if he/she commits another offence over a certain period of time they face being returned to court and re-sentenced for the original offence and the new offence
• CPS Crown Prosecution Service.
• Crown Prosecutors
  Crown Prosecutors review and prosecute cases following police investigation. They also advise on the appropriate charge for the offence. The take account of issues such as public interest in types of crime and decide if there is sufficient evidence for a successful prosecution. Most of their work is in the Magistrates court, but Higher Court Advocated with special qualifications also deal with cases in the Crown Court.
• Crown Court There is only one Crown Court and sittings take place at Crown Court Centres throughout the country. There are three tiers with the most serious cases being dealt with by the First Tier Centres
• Custodial Sentences
  A court sentence involving a period of imprisonment.