Prosecution services review released
Hon Christopher
Finlayson
Attorney-General
20
October 2011 Media Statement
Prosecution
services review released
A report on released today shows that public prosecution services are generally effective and efficient, but there are opportunities for improvements, Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson said today.
The review, by John Spencer, was initiated in March
2011 to determine whether prosecutions brought by public
sector agencies could be delivered in a more cost-effective
and sustainable manner at the same or higher quality
levels.
“It is pleasing to note that the Crown
Solicitor network, which is one of the oldest public-private
partnership in New Zealand, is providing an outstanding
prosecution service,” Mr Finlayson said. “He concluded
that New Zealand has a high quality, independent criminal
prosecution service that does not need radical
change.”
The report recommends looking at mechanisms for active management of Crown Solicitors’ funding and greater oversight of public prosecutions by the Solicitor-General.
The report also found that in the prosecution of summary offences, the Police Prosecution Service was performing well, as were departments with considerable experience in prosecutions such as the Department of Labour, Customs, the Department of Conservation, Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development.
“I welcome the observations Mr Spencer has made regarding the opportunities to improve the public prosecution services, “Mr Finlayson said. “I will be carefully and seriously consider all of his recommendations.”
The report will be considered
alongside a concurrent review of the Roles and Functions of
the Solicitor-General and Crown Law, which is due to be
reported back in February 2012.
The report is
available on the Ministry of Justice website here
http://www.justice.govt.nz/policy/justice-system-improvements/review-of-prosecution-services
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