header-logo header-logo

Stats reveal ‘broken’ justice

20 November 2019
Issue: 7865 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
printer mail-detail
The total number of individuals formally dealt with by the criminal justice system is at the lowest since records began, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures have revealed

The figure, of 1.58 million people between July 2018 and June 2019, represents a fall of two per cent on the previous year. Meanwhile, the number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates’ courts, 1.37 million in the same period, has continued to decline since June 2016 and also fell by two per cent.

In the same period, police recorded crime rose overall by six per cent to 5.3m offences, excluding fraud.

The latest statistics, published last week, also found that the conviction ratio remained stable at 87%, while 10% fewer defendants were remanded on bail by the police and the custody rate decreased 6.5% to 74,800, the lowest since 2009.

While fewer suspects are being prosecuted, those who are convicted are spending longer in prison―average custodial sentence lengths have been steadily rising since June 2009, from 16.3 to 20.3 months for indictable offences and from 13.5 to 17.4 months overall.

Richard Atkins QC, Chair of the Bar Council said: ‘It will be a major concern to victims of crime and anyone who cares about the criminal justice system that the figures show that while recorded crime has been rising, prosecutions and out of court disposals have fallen.

‘The inescapable fact is that the disproportionate cuts to the criminal justice budget over many years has broken the system. Only a considerable investment in the criminal justice system by the next government will reverse the damage and restore public confidence.’

In her ‘Monday Message’ blog, Criminal Bar Association chair, Caroline Goodwin QC cited a recently published Institute of Government report, ‘The Performance Tracker 2019’. The report noted criminal cases have decreased in number but increased in complexity, requiring the courts to ‘make savings to meet demands’.

Issue: 7865 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll