Swift and sure criminal justice

The Government’s White Paper on criminal justice reform, Swift and Sure Justice: the Government’s Plans for Reform of Criminal Justice has been published today (13/07/12). 

The White Paper sets out a programme of reform which builds on some of the lessons learned from the response to last year’s disturbances, during which the Police, prosecutors and courts worked together - and offenders were brought to justice within days, sometimes even hours.

The paper sets out plans to modernise criminal justice services, speed up court cases, improve transparency so the public can understand how the system works, and engage local communities in dealing with low-level offending.

Justice Minister Nick Herbert said: "We want a more flexible Criminal Justice System, including extending opening hours for courts, maximising the use of technology through virtual courts and prison to court video links and we are looking at radical proposals to speed up cases where offenders plead guilty.

"The criminal justice system must be more transparent and accountable to the local communities it services, so we are opening up the justice system and involving communities directly in resolving problem behaviour and low-level crimes, as well as introducing Police and Crime Commissioners to make the system democratically answerable to the public."