Criminal Justice System Performance
Narrowing the Justice Gap
Performance Measures
Increasing the number of offences for which an offender is brought to justice.
The target will be met if there are 1.15m crimes for which an offender is brought to justice in the year ending March 2006, compared with the baseline year ending March 2002. (Offences brought to justice are those that result in conviction, caution, fixed penalty notices, formal warnings for possession of cannabis or in which the offence is taken into consideration in relation to recorded offences only. The gap between offences brought to justice and the overall level of recorded crime is sometimes referred to as "attrition").
Latest Outturn
On Course
Current performance (provisional figures for December 2004) shows 1.131 million offenders have been brought to justice. This is an increase of 12.9% on the baseline of 1,002,000.
Performance Measures
An improvement in all CJS Areas The target will be met if each of the 42 Criminal Justice Areas bring more offences to justice than they did in the baseline year ending March 2002
Latest Outturn
Slippage
Of the 42 CJS Areas six are currently performing below the baseline, which is in line with expectations given the impact of crime reduction in those Areas.
Performance Measures
A greater increase in worse performing Areas. The target will be met if the average performance improvement achieved by the worse performing areas is greater than the national average performance improvement in the year ending March 2006 as compared to the baseline year ending March 2003
Latest Outturn
On Course
A greater increase in worse performing Areas will be met if the current rate of improvement is maintained at its current level.
Performance Measures
A reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials. The target will be met if the national level of improvement for the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts is 27% or less by the year ending of March 2006. This equates to a reduction of ineffective trials in the Crown Court from 24% to 17% and from 31% to 23% in magistrates' courts.
Latest Outturn
Crown Court - On Course
Latest performance is an ineffective trial rate of 14.4% for the rolling quarter ending March 2005, a 9.6 percentage point reduction on the baseline.
Magistrates Courts - On Course
Latest performance is an ineffective trial rate of 22.7% for quarter ending March 2005 a reduction of 8.3 percentage points.
Improving Public Confidence
Performance Measures
Improve the level of public confidence in the Criminal Justice System. This will be met if, by the year ending March 2006, the level of public confidence has increased, compared to the baseline year ending March 2003.
Latest Outturn
Ahead of trajectory
Baseline: (British Crime Survey (BCS) 2002-03) 39%
Annual outturn: (BCS 2003-04) 41%
Latest outturn: (year to December 2004) 43%
Performance measures
Increase public confidence including increasing that of ethnic minority communities.
This will be met if, by 2005-06, the level of confidence amongst black and minority ethnic people is statistically higher than that during the baseline year ending March 2003.
Latest Outturn
Ahead of trajectory
Baseline: (BCS 2002-03) 49%
Outturn: (BCS March 2004) 56%
Performance measures
increasing year on year the satisfaction of victims.
This will be met if the level of satisfaction of victims increases year on year during April 2003 to March 2006, with the final year showing a statistically significant increase over the first year.
Latest Outturn
Not Yet Assessed.
Baseline (BCS 2003-04): 59%
First outturn (BCS 2004-05): due July 2005
This is measured using new BCS questions on victim satisfaction with the CJS, which were introduced in October 2003, together with questions on victim
satisfaction with the police.
Performance measures
- increasing year on year the satisfaction of witnesses.
This will be met if the level of satisfaction of witnesses increases year on year during the target period from April 2003 to March 2006, with the final year showing a statistically significant increase over the first year.
Latest Outturn
Not Yet Assessed.
Baseline (BCS 2003-04): 59%
First outturn (BCS 2004-05): due July 2005
This is measured using new BCS questions on victim satisfaction with the CJS, which were introduced in October 2003, together with with questions on victim satisfaction with the police.
Performance measures
- respecting the rights of defendants.
Latest Outturn
The rights of defendants are protected by law. Any evidence that a defendants rights have been infringed would be thoroughly investigated.
Performance measures
To increase value for money from the Criminal Justice System by 3% per annum. The CPS contribution to the target will be met if by year ending March 2006, there is an improvement in efficiency or value for money of at least 3% compared with the year ending March 2003. Some CPS-led initiatives have efficiency and value for money benefits for the police and the courts as well as the CPS.
Latest Outturn
There is no overarching CJS plan for this target, however the CPS has undertaken a number of initiatives to increase value for money and efficiency savings through:
- the introduction of charging arrangements
- use of the COMPASS CMS
- increased use of HCAs and DCWs
- improvements to the management of leases on the estate
- improved terms from suppliers as a result of introducing on-line ordering and procurement.
Criminal Justice Boards
Local Criminal Justice Boards (LCJBs) bring together Chief Officers of local criminal justice agencies to deliver the Public Service Agreement targets in their Area and drive through criminal justice reforms. Each local Board has produced delivery plans for narrowing the justice gap, ineffective trials and public confidence and report on progress to the National Criminal Justice Board. The Director of Public Prosecutions and the Chief Executive, along with the Home Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Attorney General and other criminal justice ministers are members of the National Board.
Office for Criminal Justice Reform
The CPS also works closely with colleagues in the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR). The OCJR is a trilateral team that supports all criminal justice agencies and LCJBs in working together to provide an improved service to the public.
Performance measures
Reduction in Unsuccessful Outcomes in magistrates' courts & Crown Courts.
Latest Outturn
MET.The number of unsuccessful outcomes fell from 21.4% in 2003-04 to 19.6% in 2004-05 well within the annual target of 21%.
Performance measures
Charging
A reduction in the discontinuance rate for magistrates' court and Crown Court activity.
Latest Outturn
Crown Court
MET. The discontinuance rate has fallen from 18.8% in July 2004 to 12.7% in April 2005.
Magistrates Court
NOT MET. The rate has risen from 15.1% in July 2004 to 15.3% in April 2005 compared to an 11% target.
Performance measure
Charging
An increase in the guilty plea rate for magistrates' court and Crown Court activity.
Latest Outturn
Crown Court
MET. Figures for this target became available in the final quarter of 2003-04 (Jan-Mar 2004). This showed a guilty plea rate of 61.2%. The current guilty plea rate is currently 68% and has met the 68% target.
Magistrates Court
MET. Figures for this target became available in the final quarter of 2003-04 (Jan-Mar 2004). This showed a guilty plea rate of 62%. The current guilty plea rate is 68.6%, well above the target of 52%.
Performance measure
Charging
A reduction in the attrition rate for magistrates' court and Crown Court activity.
Latest Outturn
Crown Court
MET. The attrition rate has dropped from 31.5% in July 2004 to 21.7% in April 2005 and is below the 23% target.
Magistrates Court
MET. There is no comparable data for July 2004. The attrition rate is currently 22.6%, well within the 31% target.
Performance measure
Assets Recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
Latest Outturn
MET. The CPS obtained 1,402 POCA and 666 pre-POCA confiscation orders to a total value of £61.2 million against a combined POCA and pre-POCA target of 1,540 confiscation orders. £20.8 million was collected in respect of CPS confiscation orders of which £4.1 million was in respect of POCA confiscation orders.
Performance measure
No Witness No Justice
Increase in the Rates of Witness Attendance in the magistrates' court and Crown Court.
Latest Outcome
MET. The final independent evaluation of the Pilot Areas showed an increase in Witness Attendance from 68.9% in the period January - June 2003 to 82.2% in the period January - June 2004, an increase of 19%.The evaluation report states that this rate of improvement can be achieved nationally.
Performance measure
No Witness No Justice
Reduction in the number of ineffective trials due to witness issues.
Latest Outcome
MET. Pilot Areas showed a reduction in ineffective trials due to witness issues from 4.5% in the period January-June 2003 to 3.3% in the period January - June 2004, an overall reduction of 26.8%.
Performance measure
COMPASS
Increase in % of cases with a magistrates' court or Crown Court trial having completed a full file review.
Latest Outcome
MET. The national average completion of full file reviews has increased from a baseline of 30% in December 2004 to 36.3% in April 2005. The target is 60% by March 2006.
Performance measure
COMPASS
Increase in % of cases with a Crown Court trial having an indictment completed.
Latest Outcome
MET. The national average for completion of an indictment has increased from a baseline of 85% to 90.3% in April 2005, achieving the 90% target.
Performance measure
Prosecution costs/Admin costs.
Latest Outcome
MET. The CPS managed within budget for 2004-05.
Performance measure
Reduce sickness Absence Rate.
Latest Outcome
MET. The rate has fallen from an average of 9.2 to 8.7 days per year, a 5.4% reduction for the year ending December 2004. The 2005 target has been revised to an average of 8.0 days by December 2005.
