Community Impact Statements and their use in Hate Crime cases
Plain-English digest of CPS prosecution guidance.
AI-generated summary — not verbatim. This is a plain-English digest, not the official CPS text. It may omit detail or fall out of date. Do not rely on it for a charging decision — read the full guidance on cps.gov.uk and check the current legislation.
This prosecution guidance discusses the role of Community Impact Statements (CIS) in hate crime cases, outlining their importance in reflecting the broader impact of such crimes on communities. It details when and how CIS should be utilized, the responsibilities for compiling these statements, and their significance in the criminal justice process. The guidance includes procedures for integrating CIS into charging decisions and sentencing, emphasizing their objective nature and the requirement for statistical data.
Key points
- Community Impact Statements (CIS) reflect the community's voice in hate crime prosecutions.
- CIS should be used to show prevalence and impact of hate crimes in specific communities.
- The police are responsible for compiling CIS, which must be admissible in court.
- CIS provides context for charging decisions and sentencing in hate crime cases.
- Both generic and specific CIS can be employed depending on the circumstances of the hate crime.
Public-interest factors
- Impact on community confidence and safety
- Prevalence of hate crimes in the locality
- Severity of the hate crime incident
- Impact of online hate crime
- The need for justice for targeted communities
This is a factual digest of guidance published by the Crown Prosecution Service. Digested 2026-07-15. BlueLineHub is independent and not affiliated with the CPS.