Justice for the accused: drivers and costs of inefficiencies in the criminal court system in England and Wales

This briefing paper was prepared to support the second event of the Justice for All conference series, ‘Justice for the Accused.’ RAND Europe is a research partner for this series, which is a year-long programme of events that examines the challenges facing modern justice systems. This paper reflects on the drivers and costs of inefficiencies in the criminal court system in England and Wales.

The effective functioning of the criminal justice system is essential for maintaining public confidence, ensuring fair outcomes and the rule of law. However, recent evidence suggests that the system in England and Wales is struggling to fulfil its key functions due to persistent, interacting inefficiencies. These inefficiencies not only increase operational costs but also risk undermining the delivery of justice.

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