23 October 2008
Criminals being brought to justice more quickly, victims and witnesses facing fewer court appearances, and fewer delays to magistrates' court hearings were achievements today heralded by Courts Minister, Bridget Prentice, during Inside Justice Week.
Latest figures published show that the estimated average time from police charging a defendant to a case being concluded was just 45 days, down from 62 days in March 2007. This relates to cases heard in magistrates' courts in England and Wales.
The improvements are the result of Criminal Justice: Simple, Speedy Summary (CJSSS), a scheme that introduced new and more efficient ways of working by all parts of the criminal justice system working together with the judiciary, so that cases being brought to magistrates' courts are dealt with more speedily.
Bridget Prentice said:
'Up and down the country local justice is being delivered quickly and effectively in local magistrates' courts. This means that victims and witnesses are spared the ordeal of having to return to court several times as far fewer cases are adjourned; criminals are being brought to justice quicker and are spending less time out on bail; and less police time is wasted, giving them more time to catch criminals.'
Lord Justice Leveson, Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales, said:
'The success of this scheme illustrates the benefits of a joined-up approach between the judiciary and the criminal justice agencies. I am grateful to the magistracy and local criminal justice system agencies for their commitment and hard work in helping to ensure this initiative has led to significant improvements to the speed at which cases progress through the courts.'
Other notable achievements by magistrates' courts include:
- 41% of cases completed at the first hearing - up from 29% of cases
- far fewer adjournments - the average number has fallen from 2.2% to 1.4%
- in adult charged cases, more guilty pleas at the first hearing at 59% - previously was 48%.
The principles behind CJSSS are to ensure that before a case is brought to court all sides are fully prepared and that the court and defence have enough information for the case to be conducted on the earliest occasion and for a plea to be entered at the first hearing. If the plea is guilty then sentence takes place on that day wherever possible. Interim hearings tend to be avoided and trials proceed, where appropriate, in the absence of defendants if they fail to appear.
Notes
1. The figures quoted are taken from the most current time interval survey published on the Ministry of Justice website in August 2008. They relate to June 2008 compared to March 2007). This data is for all defendants in indictable/triable-either-way cases and includes both adult and youth cases in the one week survey period. It is important to note this is a one-week snapshot of court performance. Comparisons between data collected in June and March vary in view of the type of case required to be captured. The survey does capture a small percentage of criminal cases started by summons.
2. Inside Justice Week takes place 18 to 25 October and gives the public a chance to take a look behind the scenes of the criminal justice system in England and Wales. During the week, numerous events and activities are taking place up and down the country to show how justice is done in police stations, courts and prisons.
3. For more information please contact Mark Kram at HMCS on 020 3334 6697 or Shailja Morris at the Ministry of Justice on 020 3334 3526.