Prosecution service accepts racism charge

The CPS has been dogged by accusations of racism

The Director of Public Prosecutions, David Calvert-Smith, has said he accepted charges the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is "institutionally racist".

Mr Calvert-Smith was speaking after the publication on Thursday of two reports which highlighted widespread racial discrimination in his organisation.

"Without intending to be, our behaviour can, does and has discriminated.

"Therefore I unreservedly accept the finding that as an organisation the CPS has been, within the Lawrence report definition, institutionally racist," he said.

David Calvert-Smith accepted the CPS was "institutionally racist"

The two investigations - by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) and black barrister, Sylvia Denham - followed a string of courts cases by black and Asian lawyers who accused their employer of racial discrimination.

The CRE's study concluded that under new laws the CPS would find itself in the dock for allowing racially segregated teams to develop at its Croydon branch in south London.

It said such set-ups were in breach of race relations rules and recommended a range of measures that the CPS should implement to deal with similar situations in the future.

New guidelines

The CRE's chairman, Gurbux Singh, said it was now time for the CPS to act decisively.

"It has accepted the need to put its race equality performance under public scrutiny,

"That marks it out from the generality of organisations in the public or the private sector," Mr Singh said.

Gurbux Singh said the CPS should act decisively

Last week in what was widely interpreted as a move to pre-empt today's reports, the CPS issued guidelines for all its staff on avoiding racism and sexism at work.

The chair of the CRE's investigation panel, Ray Singh, said their report had uncovered widespread management complacency in the CPS but said things could be improved.

"If they take to heart and implement effectively the recommendations we have developed there is no reason at all why they cannot put all of this behind them," he said.

Mr Singh's panel will now consider the report by Sylvia Denman and the CPS's response.