The spending review is expected to inject a 10% uplift in funding for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the courts to tackle record backlogs. It is understood Chancellor Rachel Reeves will allocate £250m to the courts system to recruit more prosecutors and reduce the backlog of cases which stood at a record 74,651 at the end of 2024.
The Ministry of Justice could be one of the big winners of the spending review after backlash from campaigners to the decision to release many thousands of prisoners early last year. The government is concerned images and videos circulated at the time of released prisoners toasting prime minister Sir Keir Starmer undermines public confidence in the justice system.
According to the Telegraph a Treasury source said the cash injection would
“speed up justice for victims and witnesses waiting months or years for cases to come to trial, after the Government inherited a justice system on the brink of collapse and courts in crisis. To battle the backlog, this new funding by 2028/29 will mean the CPS can recruit more Crown Advocates and front-line staff to prosecute cases and better support victims.”
A further £700 million to recruit more probation officers will also be announced as part of an expansion of community punishments to ease prison overcrowding.
Following former Justice Secretary David Gauke’s sentencing review is to be followed by Sir Brian Leveson’s independent review of the criminal courts; including whether first-time offenders should continue to have a right to jury trial in what has been described as ‘the biggest shake-up in a generation of the court system.’
Other proposals understood to be under consideration are the creation of an intermediate court comprising a judge and two magistrates to hear cases that would previously have gone to a lengthy crown court trial before a jury; and the possibility of increasing magistrates’ sentencing powers. Currently magistrates can only imprison convicted offenders for up to a year. The review may recommend they would be able to rule on cases related to offences that carry prison sentences of up to two years.
“The criminal justice system was broken after 14 years of neglect. We need to rebuild not just the system itself, but confidence in it too. You can’t make our streets safer if you don’t have the resource to put dangerous suspects on trial. That’s why the Chancellor is going to throw her backing behind battling the backlog in our courts, hiring more prosecutors and giving them the tools to deliver justice for victims as part of our Plan for Change.”
said a Treasury source. A CPS source added
“The funding announced will help the Crown Prosecution Service meet the significant challenges of the future while focusing on our number one priority: to reduce delays so victims get justice sooner. This settlement will mean more prosecutors who can charge cases and get them ready for court, bringing more criminals to justice and giving closure to more victims – which in turn makes our streets safer. It will also help unlock the potential of artificial intelligence and other technologies which will mean our prosecutors can work more efficiently, helping us do even more with this much needed funding.”
