DPP gets 50 submissions in disclosure of reasons review

ABOUT 50 submissions have been received by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as part of a review of its long-standing policy not to give reasons for decisions on whether or not to prosecute some criminal cases.

The DPP, James Hamilton, announced details of the Reasons Project in January. It will explore changes to the 35-year rule not to give reasons either to victims or the general public when a decision is made not to prosecute or to withdraw a prosecution.

The failure of the DPP to explain reasons not to prosecute certain high-profile criminal cases has caused considerable controversy in the past and prompted calls for reform of the existing policy.