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CPS must make substantial improvements in letters to victims

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The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must significantly improve the quality of the letters it sends to victims explaining why their case has been stopped or a charge altered, His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has found.

For victims, receiving one of these letters is often a defining moment, it may be the only explanation they ever receive for a decision that profoundly affects them. When that letter is unclear, inaccurate or fails to explain why a case has ended, victims are left without the answers they are entitled to.

Publishing its third inspection of the CPS’s Victim Communication and Liaison (VCL) Scheme, HMCPSI found that fewer than four in ten of the 420 letters examined were adequate. This is not good enough.

HM Chief Inspector Anthony Rogers said:

“This is the third time in eight years that HMCPSI has found significant failures in the quality of legal explanations provided to victims. While I welcome the genuine improvements in empathy and tone that templates have driven, the fundamental reason for these letters is to explain a legal decision and this has not improved.

“Victims have a right to understand the decisions that affect them; that is not an aspiration, it is a legal entitlement enshrined in the Victims’ Code. The CPS must now address the causes of these failures and I will be watching progress closely when we return to inspect again in 2027.”

There has been genuine improvement since 2018 and 2020, when only around one in four letters met the expected standard. Empathy in letters rose from 58% to 86.4%, the Victims’ Right to Review was correctly offered in 89% of appropriate cases, and meetings with prosecutors were offered in 92.8% of relevant cases. These improvements, driven largely by new templates and guidance from the Victim Centre of Excellence, show that investment in the right tools can make a real difference to victims’ experiences.

Despite this progress, the most significant weakness identified in all three inspections since 2018 remains the quality of the legal explanation given to victims. Too many letters fail to explain clearly, accurately or in sufficient detail why a case has been stopped or a charge changed. Some rely on vague or formulaic language. Others contain incorrect information.

For victims, this matters enormously. A letter that does not properly explain a decision can leave someone perhaps a victim of domestic abuse, rape or serious violence feeling dismissed, confused or misled at an already traumatic time.

One of the key issues is where prosecutors’ underlying case analysis is weak, that weakness flows directly into the explanation given to the victim. Templates and guidance alone cannot fix that.

HMCPSI has made a single recommendation: that by July 2027, the CPS significantly improves the quality of legal explanations in its VCL letters. A follow-up inspection will take place in late 2027.

Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE, said: “I recognise the significant work the CPS has undertaken over the last five years to improve communication with victims, and I welcome the real progress made in informing victims of their rights and delivering more empathetic engagement.

However, for the third consecutive HMCPSI inspection, explanations of legal decisions have been found to be inadequate. When victims do not understand why a decision has been made, they cannot properly process it, accept it, or move forward. Poor explanations do not simply create confusion; they can cause further trauma and undermine confidence in the criminal justice system.

The CPS must now address the root cause of this issue, not just the language used to communicate decisions. Victims have a legal right to clear explanations, and they deserve nothing less. I will be watching closely to ensure meaningful progress is made ahead of the follow-up inspection in 2027.”

Victim Support Chief Executive Katie Kempen said:

“This is the third inspection to identify the same fundamental problem – the CPS’s communication with victims is nowhere near good enough. Clear communication isn’t a ‘nice to have’ – people have a right to understand the decisions made in their case. The content of these letters can be life-changing and, if they are unclear, victims can be left confused, excluded and unable to make informed decisions.

“While it is encouraging to see improvements in empathy and tone, urgent and sustained action is needed to address these persistent failings. Victims tell us they want communication that is clear, accurate and timely. The CPS must listen and urgently deliver the improvements victims need and deserve.”