The criminal justice crisis - Will the jury be a possible casualty?

It is hardly news but the criminal justice system is on its knees after years of neglect and underfunding by government.

On Tuesday 10 December, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and also the Minister of State (Ministry of Justice) answered questions from MPs - Oral Answers to Questions - Hansard - UK Parliament

The answer to a question from Gideon Amos MP (Taunton and Wellington) was given by the Minister of State (Sarah Sackman KC MP who said 

" ..... As the Lord Chancellor said, we have increased the number of Crown court sitting days by 500, but it is not simply enough to increase court sitting days. We have to look at fundamental reform to address the serious backlogs we have inherited from the Conservative Government."

What those 'fundamental reforms' might be was not stated. but it appears that removal of jury trial is back on the agenda.

We know

At the request of the Ministry of Justice, the Law Commission is to review law and sentencing in homicide cases

Details are at

Law Commission to review law and sentencing in homicide - Law Commission

and at

Reviewing the law of homicide - Law Commission

There is also a recently commissioned independent Sentencing Review, chaired by the Rt Hon David Gauke. The Sentencing Review is due to submit its findings to the Lord Chancellor by Spring 2025.

Links

Justice secretary expected to be asked in parliament about proposed homicide reform | Law Gazette