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Minister welcomes CJINI follow-up report on delay

Justice Minister David Ford welcomed today’s Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) progress report on delay in the criminal justice system.
~ Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Delay in our criminal justice system adds to the burden
of victims, wastes the finite resources of justice agencies and reduces the confidence
of the community. It is vital that we speed up the system and I am determined to do
so

Minister of Justice David Ford MLA,Northern Ireland Department of Justice

The report’s only recommendation is the introduction of statutory time limits for criminal cases in Northern Ireland.  

David Ford said: “I am grateful to Dr. Maguire for this report and I will now give careful consideration to his assessment.  As part of this, I will want to consult with the Criminal Justice Board.  

“I am very aware that this is the latest of a number of independent reports to reach the conclusion that statutory time limits are now necessary to improve the performance of the justice system.”

CJINI’s report acknowledges the “[c]onsiderable effort” made by justice agencies to tackle delay, but concludes that not enough progress has been made in improving performance.  

The Minister said:  “I want to pay tribute to the hard work of the justice agencies in seeking to address this critical issue.  However, this is a complex and difficult area and it is only right that we continue to consider new solutions and fresh approaches.

“Delay in our criminal justice system adds to the burden of victims, wastes the finite resources of justice agencies and reduces the confidence of the community.  It is vital that we speed up the system and I am determined to do so.”

Notes to Editors

  1. The CJINI report “Avoidable Delay: A Progress Report” was published on 24 January.  The report follows an earlier report on avoidable delay published in June 2010.  The report considers performance by the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland against standards for speedier justice.
  2. The report finds that while a great deal of effort has been invested into tackling delay and some progress has been made, performance has not improved to the required degree.  
  3. The report makes a single recommendation: “Statutory time limits should be introduced on a phased basis, starting with the implementation of Youth Court cases within the next two years.”
  4. Similar findings were made by the independent reviews into the Youth Justice System and the Prison Service.
  5. The Minister will now consider the report’s recommendation in detail and has asked the Criminal Justice Board to examine how statutory time limits could be introduced in Northern Ireland within two to three years for youth cases.
  6. The Criminal Justice Board comprises the heads of the criminal justice agencies and is chaired by the Director of Criminal Justice in the Department of Justice.  
  7. A further announcement will be made once this work is completed.
  8. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department of Justice Press Office on 028 9052 6444. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned