Our challenges
This year, we worked in a criminal justice system under sustained strain. The whole system faces high caseloads, long waits for court hearings and the increasing complexity of crime continue to affect victims and test public confidence. At the same time, the government is beginning a wide-ranging programme of criminal justice reform, from changes to sentencing and bail to reforms across the courts and policing, with the intent to reduce backlogs, resolve cases earlier and modernise how the system works.
These pressures limit capacity across the system and mean that delays are too often the reality, with unacceptable consequences for victims, defendants and witnesses. We are determined to change that.
There are strong reasons to be optimistic. Every day, people across the CPS, our prosecutors, casework assistants and victim liaison officers, supported by dedicated teams in our headquarters, are making a real difference. They deliver justice in the here and now, while working relentlessly to build a criminal justice system that is faster, fairer and more resilient for the future.
Building our capability
The Crown Prosecution Service is operating in a challenging national environment, with rising and increasingly complex caseloads, sustained pressure from backlogs across the criminal justice system, and continued demands to move cases faster without compromising fairness or quality. These pressures mean we are determined to recruit, retain and support skilled staff, modernise ageing technology, and adapt to a fast pace of change across the justice system, while maintaining public confidence.
Performance and pressure on our people
These pressures have a real impact on both performance and our people. High and rising caseloads, delays elsewhere in the criminal justice system and the increasing complexity of cases have made it harder to progress work at pace, particularly in the most serious and sensitive cases, while holding the high standards the public rightly expects. At the same time, sustained workloads, fast-paced reform and ongoing uncertainty have placed additional strain on our people, affecting capacity, wellbeing and resilience. To tackle this, we are supporting our people and continuing to improve productivity and quality so we can improve performance and deliver justice for victims and communities.
Working with our partners to reduce delays
Ongoing delays across the criminal justice system continue to have a significant impact on both on us and the public. Court backlogs and congestion in the system mean cases often take longer to reach trial and conclusion, increasing the risk of witnesses disengaging, placing extended strain on victims, and undermining public confidence in justice being delivered swiftly and fairly.
For us, these delays make it harder to manage demand and progress cases efficiently, as work must be revisited, evidence refreshed and decisions revisited over longer periods, adding pressure to already stretched teams. We will continue to do everything we can to streamline our work and tackle delays with our partners which is critical both to improving outcomes for victims and witnesses and to ensuring we can deliver justice effectively and sustainably.
Earning public trust
Public trust is fundamental to our ability to deliver justice and support victims and communities. Confidence in us depends on people believing that prosecutions are fair, independent and effective, and that victims are treated with respect and clarity throughout the process.
We know that pressures across the criminal justice system are undermining confidence, so we are continuing to prioritise transparency, fairness and engagement with the public, including improved communication with victims and action to address disproportionality. We are working to maintain and strengthen public trust which is essential to ensuring victims are willing to support prosecutions and that justice is seen to be done.