source/domain-registers/police-and-legal-services.v1.yaml

register_version: life-course-domain-register.v1
pack_id: pack-5-enforcement-consumer-justice
domain: police-and-legal-services
title: Police and legal services
status: population_complete
observed_at: "2026-08-08"
link_receipts: evaluation/link-receipts/pack-5-enforcement-consumer-justice-2026-08-08
acquisition:
  mode: linked_reference_only
  snapshots_acquired: false
  source_response_bodies_retained: false
  publication_allowed: false
  rights_policy: link_and_summarize_source_family_decisions_recorded
_source_defaults: &source_defaults
  access_method: public_html
  version_model: live_service_guidance
  update_cadence: check_before_each_use
  rights_basis: linked_reference_summary_only_source_family_decision_recorded
  observed_at: "2026-08-08"
  checksum: not_applicable_no_snapshot
_family_defaults: &family_defaults
  primary_jurisdictions: [England, Wales]
  specialist_review: required
route_sources:
  - <<: *source_defaults
    id: police-legal-scotland-handoff
    jurisdiction: Scotland
    title: Crime, justice and the law in Scotland
    owner: Scottish Government
    authority_role: scotland_police_legal_handoff
    resource: https://www.mygov.scot/browse/crime-justice-law
    coverage: Routes people to current Scottish police, victim support, legal aid, courts and tribunal information.
    exclusions: Does not provide emergency response, legal advice or an individual court or appeal route.
  - <<: *source_defaults
    id: police-legal-wales-handoff
    jurisdiction: Wales
    title: Justice in Wales
    owner: Welsh Government
    authority_role: wales_police_legal_handoff
    resource: https://www.gov.wales/justice-and-law
    coverage: Routes people to Welsh justice policy and applicable police, support and legal-service information.
    exclusions: Does not establish the correct police force, court, tribunal, legal-aid or appeal process.
  - <<: *source_defaults
    id: police-legal-northern-ireland-handoff
    jurisdiction: Northern Ireland
    title: Crime, justice and the law in Northern Ireland
    owner: Northern Ireland Executive
    authority_role: northern_ireland_police_legal_handoff
    resource: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/information-and-services/crime-justice-and-law
    coverage: Routes people to current Northern Ireland policing, victims, legal help, courts and tribunal services.
    exclusions: England, Wales and Scotland justice procedure does not establish Northern Ireland routes.
families:
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: call-emergency-services
    title: Call emergency services
    aliases: [call 999 or 112, immediate police fire ambulance, emergency help]
    description: Use 999 or 112 for an immediate threat to life, serious injury, fire or crime in progress and give the call handler the requested location and facts.
    situations: [A situation may require immediate police, fire, ambulance, coastguard or other emergency response.]
    user_needs: [Recognise the emergency boundary and avoid delaying contact while searching the bundle.]
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: call-emergency-services-primary
      title: Contact the police
      owner: Home Office
      authority_role: uk_police_contact_guidance
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/contact-police
      coverage: States the 999 emergency boundary and routes non-emergency police contact.
      exclusions: Does not dispatch a service, assess urgency or replace 999 or 112.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: report-crime
    title: Report a crime
    aliases: [tell police about crime, non emergency police report, report offence online]
    description: Preserve immediate safety and available evidence and report through the responsible police force's emergency or non-emergency route.
    situations: [A person has experienced, witnessed or has information about a possible crime.]
    user_needs: [Identify emergency, local-force, anonymous and specialist reporting boundaries.]
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: report-crime-primary
      title: Contact the police
      owner: Home Office
      authority_role: uk_police_reporting_handoff
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/contact-police
      coverage: Routes users to emergency, non-emergency and local police contact information.
      exclusions: Does not decide whether a crime occurred, investigate, protect evidence or guarantee police action.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: report-fraud
    title: Report fraud
    aliases: [fraud police report, action fraud, financial crime report]
    description: Secure accounts or payments where possible and use the current police or national fraud-reporting route for the jurisdiction.
    situations: [A person or organisation suspects a deception or other fraud offence.]
    user_needs: [Coordinate urgent loss prevention, formal reporting, evidence and victim support.]
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: report-fraud-primary
      title: Contact the police about fraud
      owner: Home Office
      authority_role: england_wales_northern_ireland_fraud_reporting_handoff
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/contact-police
      coverage: Routes users to current emergency, non-emergency and local police contacts from which the applicable fraud-reporting handoff can be confirmed.
      exclusions: Does not investigate, recover funds, secure accounts or replace an emergency call.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: report-antisocial-behaviour
    title: Report antisocial behaviour
    aliases: [ASB complaint, nuisance behaviour report, community trigger]
    description: Record the location, pattern and immediate safety boundary and report to the responsible council, police, landlord or other local service.
    situations: [Persistent or serious behaviour may be causing harassment, alarm, distress or community harm.]
    user_needs: [Find the responsible actor and escalation route without the bundle classifying conduct or enforcement powers.]
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: report-antisocial-behaviour-primary
      title: Report antisocial behaviour
      owner: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
      authority_role: england_wales_antisocial_behaviour_handoff
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/how-report-antisocial-behaviour
      coverage: Routes England and Wales users to council, police or housing-provider reporting and review information.
      exclusions: Does not assess danger, classify conduct, identify the responsible local actor or decide action.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: report-hate-crime
    title: Report hate crime
    aliases: [hate incident report, report racist abuse, disability or religious hate crime]
    description: Address immediate safety and report perceived hostility through police, third-party or support routes without requiring the victim to classify the law.
    situations: [A person believes hostility related to identity or perceived identity is involved in an incident or crime.]
    user_needs: [Find accessible reporting and victim-support options while preserving emergency and safeguarding routes.]
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: report-hate-crime-primary
      title: Report hate crime
      owner: Home Office
      authority_role: england_wales_hate_crime_handoff
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/report-hate-crime
      coverage: Routes England and Wales users to police, online, third-party and support reporting options.
      exclusions: Does not determine whether an incident is a crime, assess risk or investigate.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: report-missing-person
    title: Report a missing person
    aliases: [someone is missing, missing child report, absent person police]
    description: Contact police promptly with the available identity, last-seen, vulnerability and contact information and preserve urgent safeguarding details.
    situations: [Someone's whereabouts are unknown and there is concern for safety or welfare.]
    user_needs: [Use the correct urgent police route without waiting for an arbitrary period.]
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: report-missing-person-primary
      title: Report or find a missing person
      owner: Home Office
      authority_role: uk_missing_person_guidance
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/report-missing-person
      coverage: Explains UK police reporting, immediate-risk and support handoffs for a missing person.
      exclusions: Does not search, assess risk, provide safeguarding advice or replace urgent police contact.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: get-victim-or-witness-support
    title: Get victim or witness support
    aliases: [help after crime, witness court support, victim services]
    description: Use the relevant independent or commissioned support route and coordinate police, court, compensation and safeguarding needs.
    situations: [A victim, witness or affected family member needs information, practical help or emotional support.]
    user_needs: [Find support that does not depend on a conviction while keeping criminal-justice decisions with authorities.]
    dependency: commissioned-victim-and-witness-support-provider
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: get-victim-or-witness-support-primary
      title: Get support as a victim of crime
      owner: Ministry of Justice
      authority_role: england_wales_victim_support_guidance
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/get-support-as-a-victim-of-crime
      coverage: Routes victims in England and Wales to support, rights, compensation and criminal-justice information.
      exclusions: Does not assess safety, eligibility, evidence, compensation or a court outcome.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: obtain-police-station-legal-advice
    title: Obtain police-station legal advice
    aliases: [free solicitor at police station, legal advice in custody, duty solicitor]
    description: Ask for independent legal advice through the custody or voluntary-interview route before answering questions where that right applies.
    situations: [A person is arrested, detained or asked to attend a police interview as a suspect.]
    user_needs: [Reach the duty or chosen solicitor without the bundle advising on silence, interview or plea.]
    dependency: regulated-criminal-defence-solicitor
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: obtain-police-station-legal-advice-primary
      title: Legal advice at the police station
      owner: Home Office
      authority_role: england_wales_police_station_legal_advice
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/arrested-your-rights/legal-advice-at-the-police-station
      coverage: Explains England and Wales access to free independent legal advice at a police station.
      exclusions: Does not provide legal advice, select a representative or establish Scotland or Northern Ireland procedure.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: get-legal-aid
    title: Get legal aid
    aliases: [help paying legal costs, civil legal advice, criminal legal aid]
    description: Use the jurisdiction and problem-specific assessment route and provide the financial and merits evidence it currently requests.
    situations: [A person needs legal help and may be unable to pay privately.]
    user_needs: [Find the correct legal-aid authority and provider without a local eligibility calculation.]
    dependency: contracted-or-registered-legal-aid-provider
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: get-legal-aid-primary
      title: Legal aid
      owner: Ministry of Justice
      authority_role: england_wales_legal_aid_guidance
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid
      coverage: Introduces England and Wales civil and criminal legal-aid scope, checks and provider handoffs.
      exclusions: Does not decide financial or merits eligibility, find a case outcome or replace urgent legal advice.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: use-civil-or-family-court
    title: Use a civil or family court
    aliases: [represent myself in court, start civil case, family court hearing]
    description: Identify the correct claim or application, follow pre-action or safeguarding requirements and retain filing, service, order and appeal records.
    situations: [A dispute, family issue or protective matter may require a civil or family court decision.]
    user_needs: [Find jurisdiction-specific procedure and regulated help without drafting or recommending litigation.]
    dependency: regulated-legal-adviser
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: use-civil-or-family-court-primary
      title: Represent yourself in court
      owner: HM Courts and Tribunals Service
      authority_role: england_wales_civil_family_court_guidance
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/represent-yourself-in-court
      coverage: Introduces England and Wales civil or family court preparation, hearing and support handoffs.
      exclusions: Does not choose a claim, provide legal advice, draft documents or predict an order.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: use-tribunal
    title: Use a tribunal
    aliases: [appeal government decision tribunal, tribunal hearing, administrative justice claim]
    description: Identify the specialist tribunal named by the disputed decision and follow its review, filing, evidence and hearing route.
    situations: [A public, employment, property, immigration or other governed decision may be appealable to a tribunal.]
    user_needs: [Select the exact jurisdiction and chamber rather than treating tribunals as one generic service.]
    dependency: regulated-legal-or-representative-support
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: use-tribunal-primary
      title: Courts and tribunals
      owner: HM Courts and Tribunals Service
      authority_role: england_wales_tribunal_directory
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals
      coverage: Provides England and Wales court and tribunal service routes and contact information.
      exclusions: Does not identify the correct tribunal for a case, calculate time or assess appeal rights or merits.
  - <<: *family_defaults
    id: appeal-court-or-tribunal-decision
    title: Appeal a court or tribunal decision
    aliases: [challenge court judgment, appeal tribunal outcome, permission to appeal]
    description: Read the decision and named appeal route promptly, preserve the record and obtain specialist advice before using the applicable permission or appeal process.
    situations: [A party wants a higher court or tribunal to review a decision.]
    user_needs: [Identify forum, permission, grounds and time boundaries without receiving legal advice or a merits prediction.]
    dependency: regulated-appellate-legal-adviser
    source:
      <<: *source_defaults
      id: appeal-court-or-tribunal-decision-primary
      title: Appeal against a Crown Court conviction or sentence
      owner: HM Courts and Tribunals Service
      authority_role: england_wales_criminal_appeal_example
      resource: https://www.gov.uk/appeal-against-sentence-conviction
      coverage: Shows one England and Wales appellate route and its permission, form and legal-help handoffs.
      exclusions: It is not a generic route for every court or tribunal and the bundle does not calculate time or grounds.