Criminal Justice System Performance
Public Service Agreement (PSA) Targets
PSA targets were set for the CJS in the Spending Review 2004 (SR 2004) for 2005-08. The targets, reported on at pages 10-11, are the responsibility of the Home Office, DCA and the CPS. Similar PSA targets were also set in the Spending Review 2002 (SR 2002) for 2003-06 and are reported on at pages 14-16. The relationship between the SR 2002 and the SR 2004 targets is shown below.
PSA Targets Progression Map
PSA 1
- SR 2002: Improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.15 million by 2005-06, with an improvement in all CJS areas, a greater increase in the worst performing areas, and a reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials.
- Progressed to SR 2004: Improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of offences for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.25 million for 2007-08.
PSA 2
- SR 2002: Improve the level of public confidence in the CJS, including increasing that of ethnic minority communities, and increasing year on year the satisfaction of victims and witnesses, whilst respecting the rights of defendants.
- Progressed to SR 2004: Reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and building confidence in the CJS without compromising fairness.
Efficiency Savings
SR 2004 also requires the CPS to deliver £34 million efficiency savings by March 2008 (pages 12-13). Additionally the value for money PSA target set in SR 2002 is still being taken forward (page 16). The CPS has no workforce reduction target in SR 2004 but has set a target of relocating 20 posts by 31 March 2008.
SR 2004 Progress on Delivery
PSA Target 1:
Improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of offences for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.25 million for 2007-08.
'Offences brought to justice' counts the number of offences for which someone is convicted, cautioned, has had taken into consideration by the court, or for which they receive a penalty notice (for some disorder cases), or a formal warning for possession of cannabis. Only notifiable offences are counted.
Performance Measure
Increasing the number of offences for which an offender is brought to justice.
The target will be met if there are 1.25 million crimes for which an offender is brought to justice in the year ending March 2008.
Latest Outturn
On Course.
Latest performance on offenders brought to justice is 1.271 million [Note 1] in the year ending December 2005. This is 26.8% above baseline. Performance must be maintained but provisional data shows that we are already ahead of the 2007-08 target level.
[Note 1: This data is provisional and is likely to be subject to minor revision. The figures quoted here were correct at 11 April 2006.]
The target for the period 2005-06 is to bring 1.15 million offences to justice. This target was modified in SR 2004 superseding the previous target of 1.2 million offences brought to justice in 2005- 06. At the same time, a higher target of 1.25 million offences brought to justice was set for 2007-08.
PSA Target 2:
Reassure the public, reducing the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and building confidence in the CJS without compromising fairness.
Public confidence in the CJS and the satisfaction of victims and witnesses is assessed using the British Crime Survey (BCS) and the Home Office Citizenship Survey (HOCS).
Responsibility for the three assurance elements of the target lies with the Home Office. The three confidence elements, reported on below, are shared between the Home Office, DCA and the CPS.
Performance Measure
Improve the level of public confidence in the CJS.
This is determined using questions in the BCS which ask whether the public believes the CJS is effective in bringing people who commit crimes to justice.
Latest Outturn
Ahead.
- Baseline (BCS 2002-03): 39%
- Target (BCS 2007-08): An increase
- Annual Outturn (BCS 2004-05): 43%
- Latest Outturn (Year to December 2005): 44%
Performance Measure
Reduce the number of people in ethnic minority communities who believe the CJS would treat them worse than people of other races.
This is determined using questions in the Home Office Citizenship Survey which ask whether people from a black or minority ethnic background believe the CJS would treat them worse than people of other races.
Latest Outturn
On Course.
- Baseline (HOCS 2001): 33%
- Target (HOCS 2007): A reduction
- Latest Outturn (HOCS 2005): 31%
Performance Measure
Increasing satisfaction of victims and witnesses.
This is measured using BCS questions on victim and witness satisfaction with the CJS.
Latest Outturn
On Course.
- Baseline (BCS six months to March 2004): 58%
- Target (BCS 2007-08): An increase
- Annual Outturn (BCS 2004-05): 59%
- Latest Outturn (Year to December 2005): 59%
Delivering Efficiencies
SR 2004 set a new efficiency target for the CPS to deliver savings of £34.1 million in 2007-08. To achieve this overall target the CPS has set interim plans of £20.1 million in 2005-06, £26.6 million in 2006-07 and £34.1 million in 2007-08.
The table below shows the efficiency targets per year, along with the discrete year savings made to date for 2004-05 and 2005-06. Figures in £m.
| Workstream | 2004-05 CPS Plan | 2004-05 Actual | 2005-06 CPS Plan | 2005-06 Actual [Note 2] | 2006-07 CPS Plan | 2007-08 SR 2004 Target | Cashable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charging Programme | 10.0 | 15.6 | 15.0 | 19.2 | 17.5 | 20.0 | 10.0 |
| Productive Time | 1.3 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 34.8 | 6.1 | 8.1 | 4.3 |
| Procurement | 0.3 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
| Corporate Services | - | - | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 3.5 | 1.1 |
| Total | 11.6 | 20.5 | 20.1 | 57.2 | 26.6 | 34.1 | 17.5 |
[Note 2: To March 2006. This data is provisional and may be subject to minor revision.The figures quoted here were correct at 28th April 2006.]
As at the end of 2005-06 the CPS achieved efficiency savings of £57.2m, this represents a positive result with the realised savings significantly higher than originally anticipated. This has primarily come through greater savings being realised through the Productive Time workstream from the COMPASS and Advocacy Programmes.
The targets have, and will be, delivered through planned efficiencies, broadly covering:
- The implementation of the charging programme, designed to improve the effectiveness and the efficiency of the criminal justice process; is measured by success in terms of the improvement in the guilty plea rate, reductions in discontinuance and reductions in the proportion of cases that do not result in a conviction;
- Improvements in productive time, measured through a survey of users of the COMPASS Management Information System and in the deployment of HCAs and DCWs;
- Savings through HQ rationalisation, relocation and corporate services reorganisation, where service levels and process quality have been measured and benchmarked and serve as quality performance measures. These are measured through the number of staff redeployed, overhead cost comparison, and transaction processing costs; and
- Improving procurement practices, which focuses on reducing the costs of goods and services and developing structured specification for goods and services for a range of suppliers whilst ensuring the quality of goods and services is maintained.
The CPS expects productive time efficiencies to account for around 63 per cent of planned savings by 2007-08 with another 28 per cent coming from the charging programme and the remainder through improved efficiency in the provision of corporate services and savings delivered through more effective procurement practices. Cashable savings are being re-invested in charging, COMPASS and the Case Management System, and meeting new workload pressures on frontline staff.
Actions taking place to deliver efficiencies
- All 42 CPS Areas are now operating under the new Statutory Charging arrangements which were introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 2003.
- The structural reorganisation of Service Centres has been completed, including reducing the number of Service Centres to deliver services to Areas as efficiently and effectively as possible.
- The COMPASS project successfully passed an Office of Government Commerce-led Gateway Review 5 on benefits realisation. The COMPASS benefits annual report for 2004-05 was published in July 2005.
- HCA pathfinder sites in CPS Hertfordshire and Hampshire and Isle of Wight reached the interim evaluation stage and both sites recorded significant successes. All Areas are implementing local plans to increase the use of HCAs and DCWs as part of a strategy to increase CPS in-house advocacy. New targets for HCA and DCW deployment for future years have been set in the light of experience to date.
- Procurement initiatives have been implemented with the savings achieved exceeding the 2005-06 target of £0.5m.
- Good progress is already being made with the CPS recording 43 posts relocated out of London and the South East as at the end of 2005-06.
Plans for delivering efficiencies over the next 6-12 months
- Following the rollout of the Statutory Charging programme to all 42 Areas, final assurance checks and post-implementation reviews will continue.
- The benefits realisation plans and funding for the COMPASS project for 2006-07 will be agreed with Criminal Justice IT (CJIT) and HM Treasury.
- The Service Centre Review project will complete the programme of redeploying all displaced staff. New Business Centres will have service level agreements in place with Areas and with HQ.
- Continuous review and re-negotiation of supplier contracts will continue to ensure that challenging efficiency delivery targets for procurement are met.
SR 2002 Progress on Delivery
PSA Target 1:
Improve the delivery of justice by increasing the number of crimes for which an offender is brought to justice to 1.15 million by 2005-06, with an improvement in all CJS Areas, a greater increase in the worst performing Areas, and a reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials.
'Ineffective trials' are trials that do not go ahead on the date expected and have to be rescheduled.
'Unsuccessful outcomes' are finalised cases that do not result in a conviction, such as discontinuances in magistrates' courts cases and judge directed acquittals in the Crown Court.
Performance Measure
Increasing the number of offences for which an offender is brought to justice.
The target will be met if there are 1.15 million offences for which an offender is brought to justice in the year ending March 2006, compared with the baseline year ending March 2002. This aspect of the target was modified in SR 2004, superseding the previous target of 1.2 million offences brought to justice in 2005-06.
Latest Outturn
Ahead.
Latest performance on offenders brought to justice is 1.271 million [Note 3] in the year ending December 2005. This is 26.8% above baseline. Performance must be maintained but we have already achieved our interim 2005-06 target.
[Note 3: This data is provisional and may be subject to minor revision. The figures quoted here were correct at 11 April 2006.]
Performance Measure
An improvement in all CJS Areas.
The target will be met if, in each of the 42 Criminal Justice Areas, more offences are brought to justice in 2005-06 than in the baseline year 2001-02.
Latest Outturn
On Course.
For the year ending December 2005, 39 areas were performing at a level ahead of their March 2002 baselines. [Note 4]
[Note 4: This data is provisional and may be subject to minor revision. The figures quoted here were correct at 11 April 2006.]
Performance Measure
A greater increase in worst performing Areas.
The target will be met if the average performance improvement achieved by the worse performing Criminal Justice Areas between 2001-02 and 2005-06 is greater than the national average performance improvement for the same period.
Latest Outturn
On Course.
18 areas have been classified as 'worse performing'. For the year ending December 2005, the aggregated performance of these areas was on track to achieve the target. [Note 5]
[Note 5: This data is provisional and may be subject to minor revision. The figures quoted here were correct at 11 April 2006.]
Performance Measure
A reduction in the proportion of ineffective trials.
The target will be met if the national level of ineffective trials is reduced from 24% to 17% (March 2006) for Crown Court and from 31% to 23% (March 2006) for magistrates' courts.
Latest Outturn
Ahead.
At January 2006 the proportion of ineffective trials in the Crown Court Centres had reduced from 24% (baseline) to 12.7%, an improvement of 11.3 percentage points. For magistrates' courts the proportion of ineffective trials has reduced from 31% to 21.1% in the quarter ending January 2006, an improvement of 9.9 percentage points.
Current performance is the best to date and the figures are already at the March 2006 target level.
PSA Target 2:
Improve the level of public confidence in the CJS, including increasing that of ethnic minority communities, and increasing year on year the satisfaction of victims and witnesses, whilst respecting the rights of defendants.
Performance Measure
Improve the level of public confidence in the CJS.
Latest Outturn
Ahead.
- Baseline (BCS 2002-03): 39%
- Target (BCS 2005-06): An increase
- Annual Outturn (BCS 2004-05): 43%
- Latest Outturn (Year to December 2005): 44%
Performance Measure
- including increasing that of ethnic minority communities.
Latest Outturn
Ahead.
- Baseline (BCS 2002-03): 49%
- Target (BCS 2005-06): An increase
- Annual Outturn (BCS 2004-05): 56%
- Latest Outturn (Year to December 2005): 57%
Performance Measure
- increasing year on year the satisfaction of victims.
Latest Outturn
Slippage.
- Baseline (BCS six months to March 2004): 59%
- Target (BCS 2005-06): An increase
- Annual Outturn (BCS 2004-05): 58%
- Latest Outturn (Year to December 2005): 59%
Performance Measure
- increasing year on year the satisfaction of witnesses.
Latest Outturn
On Course.
- Baseline (BCS six months to March 2004): 57%
- Target (BCS 2005-06): An increase
- Annual Outturn (BCS 2004-05): 58%
- Latest Outturn (Year to December 2005): 59%
Performance Measure
- whilst respecting the rights of defendants.
Latest Outturn
The rights of defendants are protected by law. We will investigate and take action if there is any evidence that the rights of defendants are not being respected or that public confidence in rights being respected is falling.
PSA Target 3:
To increase value for money from the CJS by 3 per cent a year.
Performance Measure
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
The CPS increased value for money and made efficiency savings for re-investment in frontline prosecution services through:
- The introduction of charging arrangements;
- Improved use of the COMPASS Case Management System;
- Increased use of HCAs and DCWs;
- Reduction in the use of agents in the magistrates' courts;
- The rationalisation of the Service Centres providing transactional support services;
- Improvements to the management of leases on the estate; and
- Improved terms from suppliers as a result of introducing online ordering and procurement.
