Grim milestone as Crown Court backlog hits new high

New official figures, published yesterday, show that the Crown Court backlog has once again risen to a record high—climbing from 73,172 in September 2024 to 74,651 in December.

Earlier this month, Baroness Newlove’s report, Justice Delayed, revealed the gruelling impact of Crown Court delays on victims, victim services and the wider criminal justice system.

Frequent adjournments and extended wait times cause victims immense stress, severely impacting their mental and physical health. For some, the strain has led to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drug and alcohol use, and even self-harm, as they navigate the ongoing uncertainty and trauma.

Professional victim support services play a crucial role in helping victims to cope and stay engaged with the criminal justice process long-term. However, these organisations are also feeling the impacts of the court crisis. Victims are remaining in the system longer, creating unmanageable caseloads that jeopardise the quality and consistency of support, contributing to high levels of stress, burnout and high staff turnover. Directors of services have described the pressures as “unsustainable”.

Commenting on the figures, the Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove, said:

As these latest figures show, our Crown Courts are in a state of unprecedented crisis—and it is victims who are paying the ultimate price.

Navigating the criminal justice process is inherently demanding for victims—and these delays compound an already daunting prospect. My recent report, ‘Justice Delayed’, proved there’s a human cost to these delays: stuck in the system, their lives are put on hold, jobs and income are compromised, and relationships and wellbeing suffer.

This crisis is also placing immense pressure on our vital victim services. For many, these services are a lifeline—yet they are already in ‘survival mode’ due to funding cuts. As a result, some services have been forced to scale back operations—leaving victims languishing on impossibly long waiting lists, or worse, suspending support altogether and turning them away.

The government has promised reform, and Sir Brian Leveson will shortly be reporting back with his recommendations. The prospect of real change is to be welcomed. However, as we strive to fix the system, we cannot abandon victims in the present.

Victim services must be protected.

Meaningful reform must be backed by meaningful investment. If we are concerned about reform, we must match our ambition with investment and ensure that no victim is ever left behind.

ENDS

• Access the data on GOV.UK
• Read the Victims’ Commissioner’s report Justice Delayed
• Read Baroness Newlove’s op-ed (first published in The Telegraph on 4 March 2024)