The post of DPP is meant to be independent and impartial. It was set up in the Victorian era and took on its current form in 1986 with the creation of the Crown Prosecution Service. The incumbent oversees some 7,000 staff and wields considerable influence over the way the justice system functions. In many ways, prosecutors are its most powerful practitioners: once they’ve made a decision to proceed with a case, it cannot easily be stopped. In weighing up whether to bring charges they need to exercise power and discretion appropriately.