LAPG welcomes today’s announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister of an increase in investment across the court system in an effort to reduce case backlogs and improve the system’s digital and physical infrastructure. For too long, governments have failed to recognise the vital role that the criminal and civil justice systems play in underpinning the health and vitality of our economy and of society at large. We hope that today’s announcement signals the beginning of a journey towards a system that is capable of fully realising that role.
Today’s statement from the Ministry of Justice references Part 1 of the recently concluded Independent Review of the Criminal Courts carried out by Sir Brian Leveson. Part 2 of the Review has also been published, with Sir Brian recommending a total of 180 measures designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Criminal Courts. We welcome many of Sir Brian’s practical and pragmatic recommendations and agree with Sir Brian’s view that swift and comprehensive action must be taken to reduce the backlogs and ensure that victims and those accused of crimes receive swifter, fairer justice. We also agree with Sir Brian’s recommendations to invest in the beleaguered cohort of criminal defence practitioners who have been striving to support their clients despite decades of regressive policy-making and underinvestment by successive governments.
Many of our members have raised grave concerns about the potential impact of government proposals to curtail the right to trial by jury. Members are not only concerned that these proposals will undermine public confidence and fairness in the justice system, but they also have serious doubts about whether the plans are an effective method for reducing the Crown court backlog. We stand in solidarity with other practitioner representative bodies, such as the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, London Criminal Courts Solicitors’ Association and Criminal Bar Association, in their opposition to these plans.
We urge the government to reconsider this aspect of their reform programme, and to work with practitioners and other experts to implement the many identified measures that will improve the system without compromising on fairness.