{"id":17767,"date":"2020-10-30T04:42:29","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T08:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=17767"},"modified":"2020-10-30T04:42:29","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T08:42:29","slug":"england-and-wales-courts-backlog-threatens-to-overwhelm-the-justice-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2020\/10\/30\/england-and-wales-courts-backlog-threatens-to-overwhelm-the-justice-system\/","title":{"rendered":"England and Wales Courts backlog threatens to overwhelm the justice system"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><b class=\"css-14iz86j-BoldText e5tfeyi0\">The number of criminal cases waiting to be dealt with by Crown Courts threatens to overwhelm the justice system in England and Wales, a study suggests.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>A backlog in the courts hearing the most serious cases could be 195,000 by 2024 without action, says crime and justice consultancy Crest Advisory.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>It says longer sittings and new courts are needed to tackle the problem, which has worsened during the Covid pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The Ministry of Justice said the study was based on &#8220;extreme assumptions&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The authors of the study say it is a reasonable worst case scenario but there is a &#8220;catastrophic risk to public confidence, and effective enforcement of the law&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"css-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-54051717\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Covid court plan will not ease delays, lawyers say<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-54173891\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Weeds, leaks, and four-year waits for justice<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-53463856\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Locations of 10 temporary courts revealed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-england-london-54109098\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Judge makes formal complaint over custody waits<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>There can already be gaps of up to four years between an alleged offence and a criminal trial &#8211; placing the lives of defendants, victims and witnesses in limbo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The backlog of cases was increasing long before Covid and now stands at about 45,500.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Crest looked at how this could develop over the next four years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>It took into account:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"css-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li>The long term impact of Covid-19 on unemployment, which could see a rise in some crime<\/li>\n<li>Plans to recruit 20,000 additional police officers<\/li>\n<li>A rise in police recorded crime based on historical trends<\/li>\n<li>The current time frames for cases at court<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;The conclusion of our modelling is stark,&#8221; Crest said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;Covid 19, combined with long-standing legacy issues and the police uplift is leading the criminal justice system to the brink of a tipping point, beyond which it may cease to function in a meaningful sense.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-72p885-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i81\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-1jlqpzd-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">No trial date<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The human cost can be measured in part by defendants held on remand in prison for longer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Peter &#8211; not his real name &#8211; is the father of a young man charged, along with five others, with drugs offences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>His son has been waiting more than a year for his trial.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;He&#8217;s locked up for 23-and-a-half-hours &#8211; he&#8217;s frustrated, we&#8217;re frustrated,&#8221; Peter said. &#8220;My daughter in law already has lost a child due to this because of the amount of stress she&#8217;s going through. She had a premature birth&#8230; a still birth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;Just putting somebody away and forgetting about them, and delaying it over and over again, how frustrating is that for a person mentally?&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Peter&#8217;s son has no guarantee of a trial date.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Trials involving several defendants are a problem during the pandemic because of social distancing requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>There are around 120 trials with seven or more defendants &#8211; including gang murders and major drugs conspiracies &#8211; that are too big be currently accommodated in the courts, according to estimates by the Criminal Bar Association.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The government has also extended custody time limits (CTLs) &#8211; the length of time a defendant can be held before their trial &#8211; from six to eight months.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>That and fewer trials make it unsurprising that\u00a0<a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2020\/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2020#population\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">prison service figures released on Wednesday<\/a>\u00a0show the remand population &#8211; those in prison awaiting trial, and between trial and sentencing &#8211; has increased by 28% in the past year to 12,274 and is at the highest level for about six years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The extension of CTLs has become highly controversial, with\u00a0<a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-england-london-54109098\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">one judge claiming he had been put under improper pressure<\/a>\u00a0to keep a defendant in prison. There are also anecdotal reports of defendants pleading guilty to get out of prison &#8211; with some fearing they will serve longer on remand than would be imposed if they were convicted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-72p885-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i81\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-1jlqpzd-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">Nightingale courts<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The Crest study says court capacity needs to be doubled to stabilise the case backlog.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>As well as longer sitting hours and new buildings, it suggests a greater use of existing courts and technology, and more part-time judges.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>However, Crest says increasing court capacity would have knock on effects on other parts of the criminal justice system, such as prisons. And a projected increase in suspended sentences would put pressure on an already-struggling probation service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Joe Sidhu QC, vice chair of the Criminal Bar Association, says Crest is &#8220;simply telling us what we already know&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He said: &#8220;If no further action is taken to address these problems immediately by massively increasing the number of courtrooms to hear these cases, you are looking at&#8230; years of waiting for justice to be done.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The government promised that 250 out of 490 crown courtrooms will be trial ready by the end of October. It also established 16 new Nightingale courts &#8211; although they only offer eight dedicated criminal trial courtrooms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said the Crest study&#8217;s assumptions &#8220;do not stand up to reasonable scrutiny &#8211; such as vast rises in crime and charging which have no clear rationale&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>They added: &#8220;They also fail to take account of our extensive efforts to limit the impact of the pandemic on the justice system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;As a result of these, magistrates&#8217; court backlogs are already falling, Crown Courts are listing more jury trials every week, and we&#8217;re spending \u00a380m on a range of measures to further drive this recovery, including the recruitment of 1,600 additional staff.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-54737289\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">The number of criminal cases waiting to be dealt with by Crown Courts threatens to overwhelm the justice system in England and Wales, a study suggests. A backlog in the courts hearing the most serious <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2020\/10\/30\/england-and-wales-courts-backlog-threatens-to-overwhelm-the-justice-system\/\" title=\"England and Wales Courts backlog threatens to overwhelm the justice system\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[109,2,4],"tags":[7081,7083,7417,1639,2651,7416,6021,840],"class_list":{"0":"post-17767","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headline","8":"category-news","9":"category-uk","10":"tag-coronavirus","11":"tag-covid-19","12":"tag-crest-advisory","13":"tag-criminal-justice-system","14":"tag-crown-court","15":"tag-law-and-order","16":"tag-legal-profession","17":"tag-ministry-of-justice","18":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17767"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17768,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17767\/revisions\/17768"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}