The Criminal Justice System (CJS) is made up of seven main agencies and is overseen by three different government departments. This study shows that the CJS could be more efficient and effective in bringing offenders to trial, managing the trials, making best use of the punishments available, and ultimately in preventing and reducing crime.
It is estimated that each year, over £80 million is wasted through adjournments, delayed and cracked trials at magistrates and Crown Courts, and this is just one area of unnecessary expenditure in the CJS. Inefficiencies in the procedures for dealing with offenders not only waste money, but have a serious impact on the capacity of CJS agencies to deliver justice and reduce crime. Although overall reported crime is down (it reduced by one-third between 1995 and 2000), surveys show that over one-half of the public is not satisfied that the CJS is effective in bringing offenders to justice.
The focus of Route to Justice is the pathway of an adult offender through the CJS. It examines the issues encountered along this pathway that have an impact upon the efficiency and effectiveness of the process of bringing an offender to justice. The study was limited to notifiable offences, in other words, offences that are recorded by police in the crime statistics.
Included in this report:
- continuing problems in equipment services
- reports by users' groups
- good practice in equipment services
- next steps and recommendations