Two hours of gripping television guaranteed

The return of TV series The Prosecutors will provide another extraordinary insight into the work of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

With behind-the-scenes access filmed over two years, this second series was co-produced by The Open University and Gold Star Productions for the BBC. The first hour-long episode is on Thursday 2 August at 9pm on BBC2, with the second episode airing a week later.

It uncovers more about our criminal justice system’s workings, following the prosecutors tackling an organised criminal gang who fly drugs into jails with drones, and tracing a shadowy network who are using children as slaves in UK nail bars.

Dr Simon Lavis, Lecturer in Law, was the academic consultant from The Open University Law School who worked on The Prosecutors and he says that getting the balance right en route to court can be a tricky business.

This programme shows us how prosecutors need to be astute, and also creative, in how they apply the law. New technologies and criminal methods test our legislation, and it’s fascinating to see how the CPS works through difficult decisions, such as what charge to apply, when building a case. The series really lifts the lid on how the CPS works.

Dr Simon Lavis
Lecturer in Law