Criminal Process

The author provides an assessment of the principles which underlie the key decisions made by those who administer the criminal justice system in Britain today. Taking as his starting point the moment of police intervention in the aftermath of criminal activity, Professor Ashworth examines the processes through which an offender is charged, detained, tried and sentenced, and in doing so identifies the crucial decisions made by various agencies at successive stages of the prosecution. Emerging from this work, which includes a study of victims within the criminal process, is an examination of the various elements and processes at work within the criminal justice system.