"Juries are an archaic and inefficient feature of Britain's collapsing justice system. They survive only in some English-speaking countries as quaint relics of medieval jurisprudence. They deserve dispatch to the world of ducking, flogging, drawing and quartering. As it is, criminal courts have built up a hopeless backlog in England and Wales of almost 80,000 cases, with some hearings postponed to 2029."
"A surge in rape cases has led to a two-year delay, with twice the number of complainants withdrawing as five years ago. Britain's prison population threatens to break the 100,000 barrier, or twice its size in the 1990s. These are not just convicts. A fifth of cells contain remand prisoners spending months awaiting trial. This is a parody of justice."
"The justice secretary, David Lammy, knows it cannot go on. He proposes that juries be confined to extreme crimes, such as rape, manslaughter and murder, with the rest defaulting to a single judge. This year, the Leveson review of the criminal courts warned of a total system collapse. Brian Leveson, a former judge, proposed most trials go before a judge with two magistrates in attendance."
Juries are described as archaic and inefficient, surviving in a few English-speaking countries as relics of medieval jurisprudence. Criminal courts in England and Wales have a backlog of almost 80,000 cases, with some hearings postponed until 2029. A surge in rape cases has caused a two-year delay and doubled complainant withdrawals compared with five years ago. Britain's prison population risks exceeding 100,000, with one fifth of cells occupied by remand prisoners awaiting trial. The justice secretary proposes limiting juries to extreme crimes and using single judges elsewhere. The Leveson review warned of system collapse and proposed judge-led trials with magistrates. Most European countries use judges and examining magistrates, while the US settles most criminal cases informally.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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