In England and Wales, a police caution is an alternative that is sometimes used in place of typical prosecution methods. It is also referred to as a simple caution, and it is generally administered by law enforcement officers as an efficient substitute punishment for lower level crimes only. It is not a process that is usually implemented for serious crimes.
There are three primary reasons why a police caution may be used in the judicial process. First, it helps law enforcement personnel to reduce the likelihood of offenders committing the same crime again. Secondly, it is believed that a police caution helps to eliminate unnecessary court appearances. The third reason is that it allows law enforcement personnel to deal with less serious offenders quickly.
Even though law enforcement officers can administer police cautions independently, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) plays a significant role in ensuring that such designations are administered in a way that is fair and consistent for the benefit of all citizens. In addition, there are certain criteria that must be met before a police caution can be administered.
For instance, the accused offender has to understand exactly what a police caution means, and he must provide his consent for it to be administered. The accused must also freely admit to having committed the offense in question. In addition, it is essential that a sufficient amount of evidence exists so that a reasonable person would expect that a conviction would occur in court.
If there is not a sufficient amount of evidence to assume that a conviction would likely be handed down in the court system, law enforcement personnel typically do not administer a police caution. It is also not considered to be appropriate for this type of alternative punishment to be administered when there is any doubt about an individual's mental health or ability to understand what is happening. If any such doubt exists, law enforcement usually seeks the opinion of a qualified mental health or psychiatric professional.
First offenders of lesser crimes are routinely given police cautions in lieu of more formal charges. If officers are ever in doubt about whether alternative charges should be made, they generally consult with a superior or with the Home Office Guidelines on the Cautioning of Offenders. It should be noted that this type of caution does result in a criminal record for the person who is charged with a crime. It is not, however, equal to a criminal conviction.