The Victims’ Commissioner of Yorkshire has launched a crucial survey aimed at understanding how court delays affect victims.
- In Yorkshire, significant delays within the criminal justice system have prompted victims to abandon cases, stressing support services.
- Over 67,000 cases are pending in Crown Courts nationwide, with Yorkshire alone facing a growing backlog.
- Recent data highlights that delays pose a threat to justice delivery and public trust in the legal system.
- The survey aims to collect victim feedback to propose solutions for easing their burden.
Victims across Yorkshire are being urged to contribute to a newly launched survey by the Victims’ Commissioner. This initiative is in response to concerns over significant delays in the criminal justice system, which are causing many victims to abandon their cases. These delays also strain the services that are meant to support them. The survey is open to all victims whose cases have led to charges by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), aiming to showcase the detrimental effects prolonged court waiting times have on victims.
The severity of court delays in Yorkshire is underscored by a recent Ministry of Justice report revealing over 67,000 pending cases in the Crown Courts nationwide. Of these, 16,031 have been unresolved for more than a year. Legal professionals in Yorkshire have noted the growing pressures from the Crown Court backlog, which has reached unprecedented levels across England and Wales. Between October and December 2022, the average case completion time was 264 days in Leeds and 134 days in Sheffield. The backlog has only increased since, with 1,489 outstanding crown court cases in South Yorkshire as of September 2023.
Legal experts warn that these delays undermine the delivery of justice and threaten public confidence in the criminal justice system. Victims’ Commissioner Baroness Newlove is appealing to Yorkshire victims to share their experiences through the survey, which is available in both English and Welsh. The anonymous survey provides a platform for victims to voice their struggles. Baroness Newlove remarked, “No one should be expected to wait years before their case gets to court. Yet justice is not being delivered in a timely or effective way, and it is victims who are ultimately paying the price.”
Baroness Newlove’s personal experience, notably after her husband’s tragic murder in 2007, drives her campaign to enhance victim support. She frequently hears from victims stuck in limbo, one even questioning whether a justice system with such delays could claim to deliver justice. The feedback from this survey will inform a forthcoming report aimed at recommending measures to relieve the burden on victims. The survey is accessible via the Victims’ Commissioner’s website and remains open until Thursday, 12 September 2024.
The legal community in Yorkshire, particularly those in criminal law, is encouraged to assist their clients in taking part in this survey.
This initiative seeks to provide insight into how court delays impact victims, striving for actionable solutions to improve their experience.
