CPS HR

Strategic
Resourcing Team

Work Experience Placement (Legal)

Operational Delivery
Grade: N/A
 Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Introduction

“Our duty is to make

sure that the right
person is prosecuted for
the right offence, and to Intro Role Purpose
bring offenders to justice
wherever possible.”

Martin Goldman
Chief Crown Prosecutor
Responsibilities Case Study

Assessment Contact

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buttons and click for more information
For more information on the work the CPS
do, please visit - https://www.cps.gov.uk/
 Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human Resources: Mark Summerfield

Job Title
Role Purpose
Work Experience (Legal)
What are we offering?
Department
To provide a one week work experience placement to raise awareness of how the
Area/Casework Divisions Crown Prosecution Service prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated
by the police and other investigative organisations in England and Wales.
 
Pay Range This opportunity will raise awareness of how the CPS:
• Decides which cases should be prosecuted
N/A • Determines the appropriate charges in more serious or complex cases
• Prepares cases and presents them at court and
Reports To • Provides information, assistance and support to victims and prosecution
witnesses
Allocated Manager

Date Completed
March 2019

Career Family
All
 Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human Resources: Mark Summerfield

Job Title
Responsibilities
Work Experience (Legal)
What are my key responsibilities?
Department
• To gain an understanding of the different roles and teams within the CPS and
Area/Casework Divisions their contribution to the Criminal Justice System

• Become familiar with the operation of Magistrate and Crown Court and
Pay Range differences between them.

N/A • Become familiar with the Code for Crown Prosecutors, charging decisions and
the trial review process.
Reports To
• To gain an understanding of how the CPS prosecutes hate crime
Allocated Manager
• To deepen understanding of the Bail Act and how the CPS handles Guilty
Anticipated Pleas and the Allocation of Venue.
Date Completed
March 2019 • To participate in role play opportunities to practice advocacy skills

• Observe a community scrutiny panel to understand how the CPS builds public
Career Family confidence with the communities it serves

All • Become familiar with the support available to victims and witnesses of crime
especially in relation to domestic abuse and sexual violence including
Independent Domestic Violence / Sexual Violence Advocates

• Receive training on the prosecution of Domestic Violence and rape

Full job description available upon job offer or if requested.

 Intro Process
Role Purpose
Head of Human
CaseResources:
Study: Paralegal
To be part of something
like that makes you
proud to be working in
an amazing organisation
Dipak – Paralegal Officer
Responsibilities Case Study
Mark Summerfield
Officer
I am a paralegal Officer in the Crown Court
Trials unit. My job is to be the go between
the CPS and all the agencies that are part of
the Criminal Justice System. We Liaise with
Lawyers, Barristers, police, Court, Judges,
experts and intermediaries. We are the face
of the CPS for witnesses at Court, we meet
them and help them with witness service to
make the Court Process as comfortable as
possible.
I believe we make a difference because we
have to make sure we are ready for trial and
to make sure justice is done. It is hard work
but can be rewarding when you see justice
done. I came to the CPS from working as a
credit administrator for 13 years at Next.
 
I started in the CPS in the county
magistrate’s team, dealing with post,
creating cases on to the system and serving
material as required by the lawyer. I moved
to the Crown Court unit within 6 months of
starting in the role I do now.
The role I do is very challenging; each
paralegal at the moment has about 100
cases.
Assessment Contact
No one case is the same; we have varying
caseloads including murder and serious
sexual offences. I enjoy working within a
very good team that we have. We know that
we have a clear job to do and we have to do
it in a timely pressurised environment. After
all, there is a life in the balance, be it the
defendant or a victim in the case. We have
to do justice by both; we are independent
even if we bring the cases to court.
I have had numerous moments, but the one
that still stands out is achieving a fantastic
result in the first honour crime case of its
kind in Leicester with 8 defendants and a
very vulnerable and frightened young girl
and her boyfriend who were stabbed in the
street in broad daylight and would have died
but for the fantastic job done by the police
and paramedics to keep them alive at the
scene. To be part of something like that
makes you proud to be working in an
amazing organisation and with so many
different agencies all working together.
I love my job, I don’t really want to be doing
anything else, however if I did change it
would be to help set up systems that are
easier to use and follow.
Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human Resources:

Person SpecificationMark
(BEATS)Summerfield

The selection process will use the

Civil Service Success Profiles Framework and will assess
candidates’ behaviours, strengths and their potential. Please find
below the following areas we will be testing for this role -

Behaviours Experience Ability

Technical Strengths

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and click for more information
 Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human Resources: Mark Summerfield

Behaviours Experience

When looking at behaviours, we want to get an understanding of the We are not looking at how much time you have served
actions and activities that you have done (or would do) that result in in a particular field, but rather how you performed.
effective performance in a job.

We will be testing the following behaviours for the

grade – (Level 2) Grade EO or equivalent
Essential:
• Communicating and Influencing (interview &
• N/A
application)
• Working Together (interview & application)
• Motivation (application) Desirable:

• A good understanding of the Criminal Law

and Prosecution and Casework policy and
procedure.
• Digital mind-set and to be familiar in using
Microsoft Office applications (exchange,
excel, word and PowerPoint)

Please find further information about each of Please find further information about the
the behaviours by viewing the experience aspect by viewing the
Civil Service Success Profile Behaviours Frame Civil Service Success Profile Experience Framewo
Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human Resources: Mark Summerfield

Strengths

When looking at your strengths, we want to find out whether you and the organisation or job role are a good fit.
We will look at what you enjoy doing and what you do well and often.

Strengths will be tested at interview. In addition CPS Values will be tested throughout the selection process:

We will treat everyone with respect: We will be honest and open:

We will respect each other, our colleagues and We will explain our decisions, set clear standards
the public we serve, recognising that there are about the service the public can expect from us
people behind every case. and be honest if we make a mistake.

We will behave professionally and strive

We will be independent and fair: for excellence:
We will prosecute independently, without bias We will work as one team, always seeking new
and will seek to deliver justice in every case. and better ways to deliver the best possible
service for the public.

Please find further information about each of the strengths by viewing the
Civil Service Success Profile Strengths Framework here.
 Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human Resources:

The ProcessMark Summerfield

This is the assessment process that that we will be going through

for this job and what we will be testing at every stage -

Application and CV Interview and

Assessment

APPLICATION FORM
When you apply, you will be asked to
provide some specific information, which
you will type on screen. As all application
forms are anonymised, we ask that you do
not include any personal details.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
You will also be asked to complete a personal
statement of no more than 500 words setting
out how you consider your personal skills,
qualities, experience, match the behaviours and
requirements as detailed in the job description.
In addition you will need to demonstrate the
CPS or Civil Service Values.
 Intro Process
Role Purpose Responsibilities Case Study Assessment Contact

Head of Human
TheResources: Mark Summerfield
Civil Service Commissioners &
The Civil Service Code
The Commissioners have two key functions:
 
The first is to maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the
basis of fair and open competition. For the most senior posts in the Civil Service, the Commissioners
discharge their responsibilities directly by overseeing the recruitment process and chairing the final
selection panel. For more information please see
http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/

The second is to promote an understanding of the Civil Service Code which sets out the constitutional
framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear
and determine appeals made under it. For more information please see www.civilservice.gov.uk

The CPS adheres fully to the Civil Service Code; and the requirements and best practice suggested by
the Civil Service Commissioners.
 CPS HR
Strategic
Resourcing Team

If you have any questions about

applying for this role please
contact:

workexp2019@cps.gov.uk

Please include the vacancy

reference number and job title
in the subject line.