How the Justice System Works
The police will take a statement from you, so they can accurately record the details of what happened to you. They will also speak to any people who witnessed the crime taking place. You will be given a crime reference number that you should quote whenever you need to contact the police about anything to do with this crime. If you are making an insurance claim, you should give this crime number to your insurance company.
What happens from here will depend on the particular case, but here is an overview of how the criminal justice system works.
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Police investigation process
Once you have reported a crime, the police look at the details and decide whether or not they will investigate the crime. If they decide not to investigate, they will contact you to explain the reasons why.
If the investigation goes ahead, the police will keep you updated about the progress of the case. If an arrest is made and the suspect is charged, the decision of whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to go to court will be in the hands of the Crime Prosecution Service.
