The report’s 728 pages contain 180 recommendations to improve the efficient running of the criminal courts. They look at the whole process from charge to conviction or acquittal, and a number of the recommendations cover the smoother running of the magistrates’ courts.
David Ford, the Magistrates’ Association’s National Chair, said:
“There is much to like in Sir Brian’s report. His recommendations on how to make the day-to-day running of the courts more efficient are sensible. They include proposals to: improve communication between the courts and prisons to ensure prisoners are in court when needed; restore administrative support to the magistrates’ courts, giving them oversight of court listings and ensuring resources are deployed efficiently; and to remove barriers to the retention of legal advisers. The report also stresses the importance of recruiting and retaining more magistrates.
“However, we are concerned about the recommendation to look at changing the work outside the court room that some magistrates do – for example as appraisers, and their involvement in the induction and training of new magistrates. These roles give huge satisfaction to many of our members and for some, removing them would be very demotivating.”
The report also makes recommendations on AI, from using it to improve operational skills across the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, the courts, the probation service and prisons; to using it to translate court proceedings for defendants and witnesses; and using AI for case preparation and disclosure, and to enhance CPS decision making. The Magistrates’ Association cautions that while the report makes some interesting points, the history of IT projects in the courts system is not a happy one, and it urges HMCTS to get the basics right (for example, many magistrates lack even basic IT provision or a working laptop) before considering the deployment of AI tools, however exciting they may be.
National Chair David Ford continued:
“The ball is now in the Government’s court. Like other stakeholders, we keenly await their response to this new report, and we look forward to working with them and the senior judiciary to support its implementation.
“We’re also encouraged by the report acknowledging that its 180 recommendations alone will not fix the mess that our criminal justice system is in, and that root-and-branch reform of the entire system – that we’ve called for, for years – is necessary too.”
