Crown Courts deal with both adults and young people. The role of the Crown Court is to deal with the most serious criminal matters. These include:
- cases which are sent to the Crown Court from magistrates' courts or youth courts due to the seriousness of the offence – some offences, called 'indictable only', can only be tried in Crown Courts
- cases which are sent to the Crown Court because the offence for which the young person is being tried can be heard either in a magistrates' court or Crown Court
- cases which are sent to the Crown Court from magistrates' courts or youth courts for sentencing
- appeals against sentences given in magistrates' courts or youth courts.
Crown Court circuit judges and recorders hear trials and appeals and make decisions on sentences in Crown Courts.