We increase casework quality

Casework underpins everything we do to secure justice for victims. We hold ourselves to high quality standards and produce strong cases.

Our ambition is to consistently deliver high‑quality casework that leads to quicker, fairer outcomes for victims, witnesses and defendants. By improving early file quality, strengthening legal capability and embedding national assurance, we reduce delays, increase charging accuracy and support greater confidence in the justice system.

We will measure success through our Key Performance Indicators:	Target
Of those who plead guilty in the magistrates’ court, at least 76% will do so at first hearing.	≥76%
Of those who plead guilty in the Crown Court, at least 38% will do so at first hearing	≥38%
Of those cases dropped in the magistrates’ court, at most 25% will be dropped at the third or subsequent hearing.	≤25%

This year we will increase our casework quality through:

Strengthening quality frameworks
Improving our legal skills
Using tools and technology to support stronger cases

Programme	This year we will:	By:
RASSO Casework Quality	Roll out a new consistent process across the country to assess RASSO casework and identify areas for improvement to improve consistency and strengthen justice outcomes.	31 October 2026
	Provide all RASSO lawyers with one-to-one training and support on casework handling to enhance their skills to support them to make better decisions, handle complex cases, and stay confident in their roles.	31 October 2026
	Enhance the way we make our RASSO decisions and strengthen our governance channels to continually review our progress both internally and with stakeholders. This will help everyone work together better through clear oversight, strong skills, and good governance, improving consistency and strengthening justice outcomes.	31 March 2027