Police chiefs say delays in charging suspects are leading to backlogs of cases and guilty walking free
The police, rather than independent prosecution lawyers, should have the power to charge suspects in most cases, three senior police chiefs have said, as they warned of a deepening crisis in the justice system.Greater Manchester
The chiefs say delays in charging suspects are leading to the guilty walking free and delayed justice, as victims and witnesses tire of long waits. They say the CPS – which faced government cuts under austerity – should concentrate on the most serious cases, but is “far too thinly spread” to manage its current workload and increasingly complex cases.
“We have tried to fix it together over the last two years, but the plasters are not sticking and things are getting worse. So for the sake of victims, witnesses and all in the criminal justice system, we need to replace it now, by restoring to the police the ability to charge most offences whilst suspects are in the cells.”
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