'We need to use technology to streamline our justice system' says Telford MP
A county MP has called for the Government to utilise emerging technology to bring "faster justice for victims" and help manage offenders.
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Shaun Davies, MP for Telford and former solicitor, previously said victims are being let down by the justice system, which he described as being "on its knees".
He has campaigned for "vital" improvements to the local justice system after the Government announced a courts reform to see quicker justice for victims and to keep streets safe.
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Shabana Mahmood, confirmed on March 5 that Crown Court judges will sit for a collective 110,000 days in the next financial year.
The Government said this is 4,000 more than was initially allocated the previous year.
The increase will bring more hearings at the Crown Court, seeking to help victims "see justice faster".
However, the Government admitted that further "radical change" is required to tackle a backlog of cases which continues to rise.
In the year ending September 2024, the court backlog has risen to a record high of 73,000.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Davies asked if the Government has plans to use technology to reduce the backlog and bring justice for victims.
The MP for Telford said: "The recent announcement of 110,000 sitting days is welcome but we need to use technology to streamline our justice system.
"We have seen a 25 per cent reduction in actual cases being concluded between 2016 and 2022.
"What plans does the Government have to use emerging new tech to enhance county processing, get faster justice for victims, help manage offenders in the community including using ankle tagging to enforce exclusion zones, drug testing and alcohol testing?"
The Government revealed that Sir Brian Leveson has been commissioned to consider "bold and ambitious" reforms to address the "crisis" in the courts.
Justice Minister, Shabana Mahmood MP replied: "He makes an incredibly important point. We do need to make sure that the whole of our justice system, including what happens in our criminal court, is as efficient as it can possibly be.
"That is why I have commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct his independent review of the criminal courts and he will be considering how we improve the efficiency of the courts and reporting later in the year.
"There will be a wider role to play for technology when it comes to tagging, the monitoring, and exclusion zones and curfews, and I want to make sure that we place the justice system in the best position to make use of emerging technology."
