Funding alone will not fix "broken" court system
The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales has welcomed the Government’s announcement of record funding for the courts system, but says wider structural reform is needed to end the “intolerable” delays.
The comments from Claire Waxman OBE come as the Deputy Prime Minister prepares to set out a vision for a modernised justice system on Tuesday, with the Victims’ Commissioner set to be in attendance.
Ms Waxman said: “Victims are suffering real and lasting harm because of the years‑long waits they endure in their fight for justice. Every empty courtroom is a missed opportunity to reduce the backlog and prevent further trauma for those waiting for their cases to be heard.
“Today’s funding announcement is welcome – and long overdue. Unlimited sitting days and significant investment in the court estate are essential steps toward increasing capacity and modernising the system. We now need to ensure the entire court estate is operating at full strength.
“But, as Sir Brian Leveson has made clear, investment and efficiency measures alone will not fix the systemic issues in our courts. Without wider structural reform of our Crown Court, demand will continue to outstrip supply. I look forward to hearing directly from the Deputy Prime Minister about how this funding will translate into meaningful change. We must now move at pace to deliver the timely, fair justice that victims deserve.”