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Yearly Review of the Prosecutions Division 2007

The Yearly Review of the Prosecutions Division 2007 was released on 24 April 2008. This is the tenth Yearly Review of the Prosecutions Division since 1997. Through this, we describe the activities of a prosecution service which placed a premium upon reform throughout 2007, both as a means of modernising itself and of improving the quality of criminal justice. Our core business was the effective prosecution of crime, and close liaison was maintained with our criminal justice partners and prosecutors elsewhere in the development of anti-crime strategies. We applied prosecution policy fairly and firmly in the best interests of the community we serve.

In his statement at the media briefing held on 24 April 2008, Mr I Grenville Cross, SC, Director of Public Prosecutions, said:-

For the Prosecutions Division, 2007 proved to be a landmark year. At the international level, close links were forged with prosecutors from other jurisdictions in pursuit of better law enforcement and greater accountability. At the local level, our focus was very much on reform and modernisation, training and transparency. We worked in tandem with those who shared our commitment to a better legal system, and did all we could to strengthen our position in the community.

Topics include:

Director of Public Prosecutions

• Director's Overview

A Modern Prosecution Service

• Prosecution Policy in 2007
• Criminal Justice Initiatives
• Strategic Development Programme 2007-2012
• Statement of Principle
• Standing Committee on Disclosure
• International Association of Prosecutors

Recent Developments and the Prosecution of Crime

• Asset Recovery
• Basic Law and Bill of Rights
• Commercial Crime
• Copyright Crime
• Coronial Inquiries
• Corruption
• Court Specialists
• Criminal Appeals
• Customs and Excise
• Domestic Violence
• Environmental Protection
• Food and Environmental Hygiene
• Gambling
• Immigration
• Inland Revenue
• Labour and Occupational Safety
• Narcotics
• Obscene Articles and Child Pornography
• Social Welfare
• Technology Crime
• Terrorism
• Triad and Organized Crime
• Trial Preparation
• Victims of Crime and Vulnerable Witnesses

At the Courts

• Major and Interesting Cases

Organization and Structure

• Operation of the Division
• People in Prosecutions
• Court Prosecutors
• Para-legal and Administrative Support Staff
• The Administration Unit

Prosecutorial Work

• Performance Pledges
• Conviction Rates
• Advices, Trials and Appeals : Caseload, Facts and Figures
• Bilingualism
• Briefing Out Cases

Contacts with Others

• Contacts with the Community
• Contacts with the Mainland and Macao
• Contacts with Visitors
• International Conferences

Career Development

• Guest Speaker Programme
• Training and Continuing Legal Education

Prosecutors in Profile

• Achievements in 2007
• Out of Court

Conclusion : Moving Forward

Appendices

Copies of the Yearly Review can be obtained from the Reception Counter of the Prosecutions Division on 5/F, High Block, Queensway Government Offices.