Consents to Prosecution

Current project status

• Initiation: Could include discussing scope and terms of reference with lead Government Department
• Pre-consultation: Could include approaching interest groups and specialists, producing scoping and issues papers, finalising terms of project
• Consultation: Likely to include consultation events and paper, making provisional proposals for comment
• Policy development: Will include analysis of consultation responses. Could include further issues papers and consultation on draft Bill
• Reported: Usually recommendations for law reform but can be advice to government, scoping report or other recommendations

This was an advisory project. Our recommendations have been accepted by Government

The report that concludes this project recommends reforms designed to rationalise one of the procedural mechanisms used to control the prosecution process – the requirement in respect of certain offences that, as a condition precedent to the institution of criminal proceedings, the consent of either a Law Officer or the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is obtained. We are concerned only with those offences that require the consent of a Law Officer or the DPP.