Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Services

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland's sole prosecuting service, independent of the police and the courts. COPFS is responsible for the prosecution of crime, investigation of sudden or suspicious deaths, and investigating allegations of criminal conduct by police officers. (Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) may investigate where directed to do so by COPFS).

Procurators Fiscal are based throughout Scotland. They are legally qualified civil servants who receive reports about crimes from the police and other reporting agencies, consider whether there is sufficient evidence to justify criminal proceedings, and then decide what action, if any, to take in the public interest.

In considering the public interest, Procurators Fiscal take a number of factors into account. These are set out in full within the Prosecution Code but include the interests of the victim, the accused and the wider community. This can involve competing interests and will vary with every case. In cases that will be considered by a jury, Procurators Fiscal will gather and review all evidence before Crown Counsel makes the final decision on whether to prosecute. Prosecutors will act fairly and without bias towards all victims, witnesses and accused persons, and be sensitive to individual needs, to ensure that the prosecution service delivers an equal opportunity to everyone in their access to justice.

Procurators Fiscal are subject to on-going professional development training.