CCRC – Summary of Response to HMCPSI Report – 2nd July 2026

We welcome the publication of HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate’s independent inspection, which provides a thorough and constructive assessment of the Criminal Cases Review Commission’s casework.

It is encouraging that, in all cases examined, casework teams reached sound conclusions in their recommendations to Commissioners. This reflects the professionalism and commitment of staff across the organisation, who are clearly dedicated to ensuring that justice is served, and potential miscarriages of justice are found.

At the same time, the findings highlight important areas where improvement is required. In particular, the report identifies inconsistencies in quality assurance, a lack of clear structure, and insufficient focus on the quality of casework itself. We fully recognise that robust, proactive, and well-defined quality assurance processes are essential to delivering timely, proportionate, and effective investigations.

We also acknowledge the need to strengthen clarity around roles and expectations—especially for group leaders—and to ensure that investigatory activity remains focused, risk-based, and proportionate. Addressing unnecessary drift and improving the early identification of delays will be critical to making better use of resources and maintaining confidence in our processes.

The inspectors’ finding that staff demonstrate a strong commitment to the organisation’s purpose is particularly important. Our priority now is to harness that commitment and translate it into consistent, high-quality casework supported by clear standards, effective assurance mechanisms, and strong leadership at all levels.

We are committed to implementing all 34 recommendations set out in the report and to delivering the improvements required. This will include strengthening our quality assurance framework, clarifying expectations, and ensuring that our processes are both efficient and centred on delivering just outcomes. Work is underway on 24 of the 34 recommendations, with planned activity in place to address the remaining 10. This reflects our commitment to delivering meaningful and timely improvement.

This report provides a valuable opportunity for learning and improvement, and we will act on it with urgency and determination. We are most grateful to HMCPSI for their work.

A summary of the CCRC Action Plan is detailed below.

Summary of Action Plan

Key Recommendations

Rec No.	Recommendation	Action	Status
15	The CCRC should conduct a training needs and development assessment for its casework function at an organisational and individual level to identify training needs and to inform a structured training programme.	TNA developed and rollout underway.	In Progress
20	The CCRC should review its first line assurance mechanisms with a view to developing and implementing a new approach to how it assesses casework quality. This will include: a. Considering the purpose, necessity and frequency of six-week case plan MOTs. b. Review how 10-month scrutiny’s are conducted. c. Implement a second level assurance process to assess the quality of 10-month scrutiny decision making.	Assurance redesign underway.	In Progress
21	The CCRC should review the effectiveness of the Long-Running Cases Committee to ensure the process is founded on a targeted, structured, manageable, risk-based model. This should include:  a. Methodology for identifying key cases. b. Conducting a deeper level of scrutiny on fewer number of cases. c. Proactive management of longer running cases by GLs.	LRCC reform in progress.	In Progress
26	The CCRC should incorporate assurance of internal legal advice into the Quality Assurance Programme. This should include clear processes for the allocation, supervision and review of legal work undertaken by interns and legal staff, proportionate to the complexity and risk of the advice provided.	Framework to be developed.	Planned
27	The CCRC should develop and implement an action plan to strengthen and integrate its quality assurance arrangements, so that they assess the quality of casework reasoning and decisions. This should be underpinned by a forensic, three‑stage ‘plan, do, review’ cycle, with clear ownership for assurance of casework quality at each stage of the process.	QA framework to be developed and reviewed.	Planned
33	The CCRC should redefine the Group Leader role as the primary first‑line assurance function for casework quality, case progression and the development of Case Review Managers. This should include clear accountability for training and development, early case direction, active portfolio oversight and proportionate quality assurance of key casework products, supported by appropriate management information and an agreed oversight framework.	Work to define their role in first line assurance underway to include portfolio assurance.	In Progress

Casework Quality

Rec No.	Recommendation	Action	Status
1	The Casework Administration Team should be engaged with when any casework process changes are proposed to ensure their operational experience can be included in the development phase to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of the change across the end-to-end process.	CAT engagement to be designed into the CCRC change process.	In Progress
2	The CCRC should produce timeliness management information data by case category as well as case type, including no appeals and reapplication cases that are overdue against the 30-day timeliness target, to assist management grip of the timeliness of casework.	Reporting of data to be updated.	Planned
3	The CCRC should carry out a thematic audit to review the effectiveness of the current case type allocation process to assess whether it is an effective tool in determining the amount of resource required for casework across the CCRC.	To be delivered via QA work.	Planned
4	The CCRC should revise its casework process in Review cases to include a fast-track mechanism for submitting a no referral recommendation to a Commissioner in cases where the Group Leader determines there is sufficient material to reach this conclusion at the screening stage.	Casework  process redesign underway.	In Progress
5	We recommend that the CCRC revises its casework process in Review cases to include a fast-track mechanism for submitting a recommendation to a Commissioner in cases where the Group Leader determines that the discretion not to refer will be exercised even if the statutory tests were met.	Casework process redesign underway.	In Progress
6	The CCRC should implement a standard case review structure, that as a minimum includes: the key facts; the case chronology; the applicant’s grounds; the case strategy; any legal casework guidance that has been considered and applied; the material needed; and whether there is a need for input from others, for example a specialist CRM.	Review of case planning structureunderway.	In Progress
7	The CCRC should audit its compliance with its escalation process and review the effectiveness of the current process. Upon completion of the audit and review, the CCRC should develop and implement a strengthened process using its findings, setting clear standards and expectations to facilitate assurance of compliance and to inform a stakeholder strategy to improve timeliness of receipt of requested material.	Audit planned.	Planned
8	The CCRC should reduce the period of time taken between the receipt of an application to allocation to a Group Leader. Group Leaders should allocate Review cases to Case Review Managers as soon as their screening is completed.	Will be considered as part of the casework process redesign but implementation is resource dependent.	Planned
9	The CCRC should set an expectation that Group Leaders undertake an urgent assessment of cases where there has been no activity for 60 days to either progress or close the case.	Work to define their role in first line assurance underway to include the optimum way to progress cases.	In Progress
10	The CCRC should review the criteria it uses to prioritise senior leadership review, to include risk factors other than duration of the case to focus scrutiny on sensitive and complex cases.	Casework process redesign underway.	In Progress
11	The CCRC should set out a formal process for appointing a Nominated Decision Maker to ensure there is consistency in the application process and a clear audit trail for accounting purposes.	Under consideration.	Planned
12	The CCRC should implement a CRM triage for post closure correspondence to determine if the original CRM can deal with fresh information relating to an application.	Process redesign under consideration.	In Progress
13	The CCRC should carry out assurance to ensure that post-closure guidance is being applied consistently and correctly.	Included in design work.	In Progress
14	The CCRC should undertake a thematic review of its compliance with its obligations under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, including the quality of the recording of the reasons for its decisions as to whether a victim should be notified.	To be scoped.	Planned

Learning & Development

Rec No.	Recommendation	Action	Status
16	The CCRC should develop a Casework Administration Team operations manual which sets out clearly how tasks are to be undertaken on the Dynamics case management system.	This has been in development, and is approaching completion	In progress
17	When a specialist Case Review Manager is consulted, they should be responsible for endorsing the Case Narrative with the guidance provided to the allocated Case Review Manager.	Guidance to be issued.	Planned

Assurance

Rec No.	Recommendation	Action	Status
18	The CCRC should strengthen its internal audit assurance programme by: a. Increasing the size and representativeness of samples for audit testing b. Ensuring internal audits test casework quality as well as procedural compliance and distinguish the two.	Process redesign underway.	In Progress
19	The CCRC should implement an alternative mechanism to provide effective oversight of active case management, ensuring that one-to-one meetings are used appropriately to support performance, professional development and wellbeing rather than as a vehicle for casework quality assurance.	Process redesign underway to consider options.	In Progress
22	The CCRC should review and formalise when the Critical Friend Process is required and how it is operated.	Included in QA redesign.	In Progress
23	The CCRC should develop an effective first line assurance mechanism to assure the quality of Group Leader screening and casework decision making.	Process redesign underway.	In Progress
24	The CCRC should implement a quality assurance process for draft statement of reasons in No Appeal and Reapplication cases.	Process design underway.	In progress
25	The CCRC should strengthen its quality assurance arrangements for the draft Statements of Reasons by introducing a clear and proportionate process for Group Leader oversight of draft Statement of Reasons before submission to Commissioners. This should include: a. Defined expectations for when Group Leader scrutiny is required. b. Mechanisms for recording and tracking amendments made at each stage of the decision‑making process. c. A method to provide second line quality assurance of Statement of Reasons.        d. A mechanism for thematic issues to be considered by senior leadership.	Process redesign underway.	In Progress

Leadership & Governance

Rec No.	Recommendation	Action	Status
28	The CCRC should develop a system whereby any change(s) to the SoR either made by, or at the request of, a Commissioner are notified to the Group Leader who line manages the relevant Case Review	Governance review underway.	In progress
29	The CCRC should clearly articulate how any responsibilities of Commissioners in relation to quality assurance of casework align with, and are distinct from, the functions of Group Leaders.	Governance review underway.	In Progress
30	The CCRC should consider whether the functions currently undertaken by the Nominated Decision Maker would be more appropriately carried out by Group Leaders or Senior Case Review Managers.Should the Nominated Decision Maker role be retained, arrangements should be clarified so that feedback on a Case Review Manager’s performance is provided by the Nominated Decision Maker to the Group Leader with line management responsibility.	Governance review underway.	In Progress
31	The CCRC should produce a Casework Administration Team operational manual containing guidance on allocation categories and processes.	This has been in development, and is approaching completion.	In Progress
32	The CCRC should define and implement a clearer, more strategic role for Senior Case Review Managers, setting out when and how they should be engaged in the casework process. This should include the use of Senior CRMs to provide structured challenge and support in more complex or sensitive cases and contribute to consistency in casework quality.	Process redesign underway.	In Progress
34	The CCRC should restate and reinforce expectations regarding the use of Dynamics and the Case Narrative as the primary shared case record and portfolio‑management tools. This should be supported by targeted refresher training and routine assurance activity to promote consistent use across teams.	Training being scoped and guidance to be issued.	Planned