Prosecution guidelines - Kangaroo courts must be avoided

Following the publication of guidelines for prosecutors this week, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said that he is carrying out a review of what information his office could release in order to help the public understand some of his more controversial decisions.

Sometimes people are inclined to think that there is some great conspiracy behind a decision not to prosecute a case, whereas the real explanation might be quite simple. In such instances, explaining the reason for the decision might alleviate public disquiet, but it is a complicated matter because different factors may influence his decision.

For instance, his guidelines stress the importance of not exposing an informant to danger. The report also noted that prosecutors should have regard for national security, which is often used as a convenient cover in other countries.