3 September 2020 This briefing responds to the Justice Committee’s call for evidence into the effectiveness of the Coroner Service and whether changes introduced under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 has helped improve the experiences of bereaved people and survivors who come into contact with the Coroner Service. The Committee’s website states: “The Committee’s inquiry […]
Justice Committee Inquiry on Youth Justice
July 21, 2020
On 14 July 2020, JUSTICE submitted evidence to the Justice Committee Inquiry into Children and young people in custody. The focus of the evidence was on the ongoing work we are undertaking with our working party on Racial Disparity in Youth Justice. As we have investigated the issue, five themes have emerged, which consider need […]
JUSTICE submits evidence to inquiry on private prosecutions
July 17, 2020
In July, the House of Commons Justice Committee launched an inquiry to assess the sufficiency of safeguards surrounding the use of private prosecutions in the criminal justice system. The inquiry will focus on cases brought by large organisations against individuals when the organisation is also the alleged victim of the offence. Concerns relating to the […]
Home Office consultation on pre-charge bail
June 8, 2020
On 29 May 2020 JUSTICE responded to the Home Office consultation on pre-charge bail. JUSTICE recognises the concerns raised with the current regime, namely that: pre-charge bail is not always being used by the police in circumstances where it would be appropriate to do so; there has been a significant reduction in the use of […]
HMCTS Survey on Conducting Video Hearings
April 25, 2020
JUSTICE considers that any fully remote hearings taking place during the Covid-19 pandemic must be procedurally fair. We provide responses to questions posed by HMCTS below which draws on our research, including 18 responses so far to a survey of the experiences of the JUSTICE membership, across many first instance and appellate jurisdictions with remote […]
JUSTICE submits a consultation to the Justice Commons Select Committee
April 2, 2020
This consultation addresses the Justice Committee ahead of their first meeting on the criminal justice system and COVID-19 on 7 April 2020. JUSTICE is supportive of the many efforts which are being made to keep the justice system functioning during this difficult time. This short briefing to the Committee raises the key principles which JUSTICE […]
Update on ‘What is a Court’ in response to the new HMCTS courts and tribunals design guide
October 31, 2019
In 2015, against the backdrop of austerity and the commencement of HMCTS’s Reform Programme, JUSTICE convened a Working Party which set out to assess the court and tribunal estate. Its aim was to make recommendations to reimagine how the estate could guarantee access to justice for all. In its 2016 report What is a Court?, […]
JUSTICE submits a response to the CJC consultation on vulnerability in the civil justice system
October 14, 2019
On 11 October 2019 JUSTICE responded to the Civil Justice Council (“CJC”) consultation on vulnerability in the civil justice system. The preliminary report by the CJC sets out a range of proposed recommendations aimed at improving the experience of vulnerable people in the civil justice system, a number of which mirror those from our 2019 […]
JUSTICE submits evidence to the Westminster Commission on Miscarriages of Justice
October 9, 2019
In October 2019, JUSTICE submitted evidence to the Westminster Commission on Miscarriages of Justice, which was established by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Miscarriages of Justice. The aim of the Commission’s inquiry was to investigate the serious misgivings expressed in the legal profession, commentators and academics, about the remit of the Criminal Cases Review Commission […]
JUSTICE submits response to the Sentencing Council consultation
July 18, 2019
On 9 July 2019, JUSTICE responded to the Sentencing Council consultation on its Sentencing Offenders with Mental Health Conditions or Disorders Guideline. Our 2017 Mental Health and Fair Trial report recommended that a sentencing guideline on mental health and vulnerability should be created. JUSTICE welcomes the Sentencing Council Guideline, which is a direct response to […]