Criminal

Prosecutors will speed up preparations for charging hate crimes, under Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) guidance issued in response to the surge in antisemitic incidents

A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence

A surge of scandals has revived debate over misconduct in public office: Alice Lepeuple asks whether a more principled approach to the offence is needed

Plans to reduce jury trials risk missing the real problem in the criminal justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, David Wolchover of Ridgeway Chambers argues the crown court backlog is fuelled not by juries but weak cases slipping through a flawed ‘50%’ prosecution test

Tightening the prosecution test, not curbing jury trials, could stem the flow of weak cases overwhelming the crown court, argues David Wolchover

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) will invest in technology to catch tech-reliant fraudsters and handle voluminous case materials

Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’

John Gould delves into arguments on jury reform, funding and public confidence in the justice system

Three convictions overturned, all without compensation—Dr Jon Robins sets out the alarming failings that are ruining lives

Proposals to reduce jury trials risk trading justice for speed in an overstretched system. Writing in NLJ this week, John Gould of Russell-Cooke LLP examines Sir Brian Leveson’s review, which suggests fewer jury trials, more judge-led hearings and limits for less serious offences