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Criminal Justice process

There are a series of interactive guides at the Criminal Justice System (CJS) website which guide you through the Criminal Justice process.

Victims of crime:

• View the ‘Interactive guide for victims of crime’ (opens new window) which guides victims through the police investigation, court processes and sentencing.
• For more information, visit the Victim section of CJS Online (opens new window).

Witnesses:

• View the ‘Interactive guide for witnesses’ (opens new window) which explains the role of the witness in the Criminal Justice system and shows the many kinds of support that are available to witnesses.
• For more information, visit the Witness section of CJS Online (opens new window).

Defendants:

• View the ‘Interactive guide for defendants’ (opens new window) which covers what you can expect to happen at each stage of the process if you have been accused of a crime.
• For more information, visit the Defendant section of CJS Online (opens new window).

Prisoners:

• View the ‘Prisons interactive guide’ (opens new window) which outlines what happens when a man, woman or young offender is sent to prison and gives you an idea of what prison is like.
• For more information, visit the Offender section of CJS Online (opens new window).

Jurors:

• View the ‘Guide to being a juror’ (opens new window) which aims to answer your questions about jury service and explains the responsibility of the juror.

A guide to sentencing

When an offender appears in court and is convicted following a trial or guilty plea, magistrates and judges decide what the sentence they give should achieve.

‘Crime, sentencing and your community: sentencing explained’, a document produced by the Home Office, outlines the sentencing process and the range of sentencing options available to the courts.

View ‘Crime, sentencing and your community: sentencing explained’ (PDF 241 Kb - opens new window).