The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) is an independent prosecution service established by Parliament to prosecute alleged offences against Commonwealth law. The CDPP contributes to the safety of the Australian community and the maintenance of the rule of law.
With organised crime becoming increasingly global in nature, the CDPP works in a complex environment which requires strong partnerships with international law enforcement and investigative agencies to ensure successful prosecutions.
What types of matters does the CDPP prosecute?
The CDPP prosecutes a wide range of matters including:
- Criminal cartels
- Foreign bribery
- Child exploitation
- Financial crime
- Other transnational organised crime activity including drug offences, human trafficking and terrorism offences
How does the CDPP work to combat international criminal activity?
CDPP prosecutors are on call 24/7.
They work together with partner agencies to ensure briefs of evidence are thorough and complete, assessed in a timely manner and prosecuted efficiently.
The CDPP assists partner agencies in every aspect of the criminal prosecution process, including:
- Pre-brief advice.
- Brief assessment.
- Providing specialist resources.
- Providing litigation services throughout the court process.
- Holding regular liaison meetings and national conferences, focusing on trends, issues and opportunities for improvement.
- Collaboration on joint initiatives such as the development of referral standards for electronic briefs.
Where does the CDPP prosecute international criminal cases?
Although crimes may be committed globally, the CDPP prosecutes these crimes locally. With few exceptions, Commonwealth prosecutions are carried out in state and territory Courts in accordance with applicable state and territory procedural laws pursuant to the provisions of the Judiciary Act 1903.