This report provides a cross-system view of how the criminal justice system reacted in the immediate aftermath of the first national Covid-19 lockdown (23 March to 10 May 2020), and of how the system has managed since.
The report highlights risks and innovative practice, and focuses in detail on the greatest risk facing the criminal justice system as it continues to respond to and recover from the pandemic.
All four of Her Majesty’s Justice Chief Inspectors have united to express “grave concerns” about the potential long-term impact of Covid-19-related court backlogs on the criminal justice system across England and Wales. The number of ongoing cases in Crown Courts was 44 per cent higher in December 2020 compared to February of the same year. Latest figures show more than 53,000 cases are waiting to come before Crown Courts. Some of these cases have been scheduled for 2022.
The CJJI report can be accessed here.
Victim Support, a charitable company operating throughout England and Wales, who describe themselves as the independent charity for victims and witnesses of crime in England and Wales, have published a response to the report.
Their chief executive, Diana Fawcett, feels that “The findings of the report are damning and paint a picture of a justice system that is facing a crisis point. For years, even before the pandemic, we knew first-hand from victims that the system wasn’t working. Some victims face years of waiting while others have been told to pursue civil routes, for example applying for non-molestation orders. Victims are also seeing trials postponed at short notice, sometimes multiple times and the pandemic has only made this worse.”
Victim Support’s full response can be found here.
Local VCSE organisations supporting victims and offenders and their families may find the report and response useful to aid strategic planning and bid writing.