On the bookshelf: The Prosecutor by Nazir Afzal

Afzal's memoir gives us an insight into his rise to the role of Chief Crown Prosecutor. He begins by describing his childhood in Birmingham, giving us a very frank account of the violence he faced when simply walking the streets. These incidents spur him to pursue law, and therefore justice.

In a very readable style, Afzal comments on the changes in legal procedures and policing that have impacted the criminal justice system of Britain during Afzal's career. He takes us through several of his cases addressing the criminal underbelly of Britain: human trafficking, domestic violence, gang-related violence and honour-based violence. Some of the cases he includes we may be very familiar with, for example, the 2011 riots in Manchester, the Victorino Chua case, which exposed the weaknesses of the screening processes of our health officials, and the massive manhunt for Dale Cregan following the murders of two British female officers.

Afzal also explains the failures at Rochdale where many young girls were being sexually exploited and trafficked by groups of men. Afzal acknowledges the shortfalls our legal systems and explains the "cultural sensitivity" and censorship in communities that prevent effective and necessary policing within our society.

"Our leaders don't look like the communities they serve, nor do they understand them. The status quo is maintained, and nothing changes." (Afzal, 2020: 271)

The Prosecutor provides the reader with a clearer understanding of the prejudices and fears communities of colour, women and LGBTQ people face. But, equally, the restraints of our Crown Prosecution Service and Police forces under the continual shifts in budget cuts and management. Through this memoir, Afzal tells us of the strain his job has on his relationships as well as on his colleagues mental wellbeing.

The most startling revelation for me was Afzal's description of the increasing fear of innovation within our state institutes and establishments. Afzal expresses that these aren't healthy institutes that welcome change, but rigid structures where people struggle and fear to speak out.

"If a prosecutor were to speak out now on half the stuff I had been vocal about in my career, they would struggle to get ahead. In fact, they might not remain a prosecutor for very much longer." (Afzal, 2020: 289)

Afzal has produced an exciting and essential read for everyone to gain a stronger sense of our society. The Prosecutor takes us through Afzal's life, guiding us through the hardships he had faced as well as the problems within our legal systems because of it's lack of sensitivity to victims, it's communication with women and people of colour, and particularly, it's resistance to modernisation.