EFFICIENCY IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM

The public accounts committee of the House of Commons recently published its report "Efficiency in the criminal justice system".  In general terms it exposes the problems which have been on going and predictable since 2010 when Kenneth Clarke in his eagerness to please initiated 23% budget cuts in his domain as Lord Chancellor.  This death by a thousand cuts continued under his unlamented successor C. Grayling.  Michael Gove`s appointment to the position gave hope to those who work in the justice system that he might be able to halt the accelerating slide into a situation where to a certain degree the law of the jungle now operates in couortrooms where often only the strongest (read wealthiest) survive.  He made a promising start by abolishing the Criminal Courts Charge brought into being only eight months previously by Grayling.  His apparent straightforward no nonsense approach to his job has given some comfort to critics that now perhaps the nadir has been reached the only way is a gradual ascent to a justice system which although heavily damaged might just be able to return at least to a shadow of its former being.