Magistrates in England and Wales may soon be granted the authority to impose longer prison sentences, a measure aimed at reducing the backlog in crown courts and easing pressure on the prison system. Under the proposal, magistrates could be empowered to handle more serious offenses and increase the maximum sentence they can impose from six to 12 months. This move is part of broader government efforts to address a justice system that is reportedly at the “point of collapse.”
Tom Franklin, chief executive of the Magistrates’ Association, described the proposal as a “sensible move” that could expedite the legal process, helping to reduce delays and improve the efficiency of the courts. One potential benefit of the change is a reduction in the number of people held on remand, which reached a record 17,000 in June, comprising about 20% of the prison population.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the government is considering long-term solutions to the prison crisis. Emergency measures were recently introduced by the Lord Chancellor to address overcrowding, but further steps are being evaluated.
Franklin explained that magistrates are already trained to manage more serious cases, and this proposal would shift the least serious cases from the crown courts to the magistrates’ courts, alleviating some of the burden on the higher courts. He emphasized that speeding up the judicial process would benefit victims, witnesses, and defendants alike. However, he cautioned that for this proposal to work effectively, more court resources, including legal advisors and probation officers, would be needed to prevent delays.
This discussion comes after the government released more than 2,000 prisoners early last week to address overcrowding. Prisoners who had served at least 40% of their sentence were eligible for early release, although those convicted of serious violent crimes or sexual offenses were excluded. There has already been controversy, with one early-release prisoner facing new charges of sexual assault shortly after being freed.
