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Police Prosecution Service Relationship within Criminal Investigation

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Abstract

The article concentrates on the police role in the investigative stage in various criminal justice systems and the relationship with each national prosecution service. It is shown that in this respect the police function varies significantly from country to country. According to its legal competencies and factual procedural possibilities, the article will give a short overview of the national differences but also show that similar mechanisms are developed.

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Notes

  1. For further reading please see Aebi and Balcells (2008); Aubusson de Cavarlay (2006); Barona-Vilar (2004, 2005); Blom and Smit (2006); Bulenda et al. (2006); Hakeri (2008); Mendez (2000); Meyer-Goßner (2005); Pfeiffer (2003); Roth (2008); Satzger (2004); Scholten (2003); Tak (2005); Zila (2006).

  2. In Hungary until June 2006 it was task of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to be responsible for Police services and to prepare regulation concerning crime and crime prevention. In May 2006 ministries were reorganised and now the Ministry of Justice and Law Enforcement is responsible for the Police.

  3. For further explanation see Gilliéron and Killias 2008, The Prosecution Service Function within the Swiss Criminal Justice System, this volume.

  4. In practice all fully trained Police officers are given this function/title and thus it has no real impact on the day to day work of an individual officer.

  5. For a detailed description of the British situation until 2004 see Lewis 2006, The Prosecution Service Function within the English Criminal Justice System, in: Jehle/Wade Coping with Overloaded Criminal Justice Systems, pp. 150–184.

  6. Building on progress: Security, Crime and Justice, Cabinet Office, March 2007, downloaded from http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/security-crime-justice-policy.

  7. Here special investigative PPs (“parketsecretarissen”) and assistant PPs (hulpofficieren) are meant with.

  8. This applies for certain minor and less serious offences that are treated by cantonal Police alone.

  9. As a special case, in the Swiss canton Basel-city the criminal Police that work directly under PPS share the same office. Here the PPS control over Police actions can be seen as the strongest one of all. Furthermore, PPS announces certain Police officers that are placed in cantonal Police offices and work under its strict advice.

  10. Such cases are for example when the case is extremely complex, (s)he detected a serious breach of rules or default of the investigating authority, the suspect has been deprived of his liberty from more than 6 months, offence punishable by more than 10 years imprisonment etc..

  11. For example in Switzerland, the cantonal Police conduct all cases that can be dealt with by the “Verzeigungsverfahren” independently unless coercive measures are required for which they have to get PPS approval.

  12. For the need and power of the judiciary in investigative matters as well as their relationship with PPS and Police, see part II, chapter 8.

  13. In the majority of cases, after two days it’s the judiciary who has to decide on further detention.

  14. Lewis 2006, The Prosecution Service Function within the English Criminal Justice System, in: Jehle/Wade Coping with Overloaded Criminal Justice Systems – The Rise of Prosecutorial Power Across Europe, Springer, Berlin Heidelberg 2006, pp.171 ff.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminology at the Law Faculty, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 6, 37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Beatrix Elsner

  2. Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, Portsmouth University, University House, Winston Churchill Avenue, Portsmouth, UK/ Hampshire, PO1 2UP

    Chris Lewis

  3. Criminal Law, Faculty of Law, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden

    Josef Zila

Authors
  1. Beatrix Elsner
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  2. Chris Lewis
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  3. Josef Zila
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Correspondence to Beatrix Elsner.

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Elsner, B., Lewis, C. & Zila, J. Police Prosecution Service Relationship within Criminal Investigation. Eur J Crim Policy Res 14, 203–224 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-008-9065-8

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