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I began this review on October 15, with a brief "to identify ways
of expediting the progress of cases through the criminal justice system
from initiation to resolution, consistently with the interests of justice
and securing value for money." I have carried it out by taking views
from a wide cross-section of those who work in the criminal justice
system, including Judges, Chief Constables, Crown Prosecutors, magistrates'
courts staff, magistrates including stipendiary magistrates, prison
governors, Chief Probation Officers, defence solicitors and barristers,
and staff from the Court Service. I have interviewed more than sixty
individuals as well as spending time in court, at police stations and
in CPS offices talking to more junior staff. I could not have asked
for more co-operation. The overwhelming majority of those I spoke to
were enthusiastic about the review and anxious to offer creative ideas
for tackling delay.
A small minority of people suggested to me that justice should not
be managed; that somehow management and justice are incompatible. Others
asserted that delay cannot be tackled without resorting to constitutional
change, including a Ministry of Justice. I disagree. The criminal justice
process is a complex one involving different agencies at different
stages. But almost everyone I talked to agreed that it can still be
managed, and management of the process is very much the theme of this
report. Managing each stage of the process can help bring offenders
to justice and acquit the innocent much more promptly.
Home Office, February 1997
Chapter
1 Summary of main proposals
2 The growing problem of delay
3 Managing the decision to prosecute
4 Managing legal representation and legal aid
5 Managing cases in magistrates' courts
6 Managing the distribution of cases between
the courts
7 Managing pre-trial preparation at the Crown
Court
8 Managing the Youth Court
9 Cost implications
Annex
A List of recommendations
B Terms of reference
C Review team; steering group; cost of review
D List of organisations contacted
E List of tables and charts
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