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Criminal Defence Service (CDS)- Criminal justice system initiatives
Criminal justice system initiatives
On this page:
- Our work within the Criminal Justice System
- About Waterfall
- Regional priorities
- For more information
Our work within the Criminal Justice System
We have corporate targets focusing on improving the justice system to help it work more effectively for clients, providers and agencies.
Our targets within the criminal justice system for 2008/9 are to:
- engage with the police to address identified and agreed operational and policy issues that unnecessarily increase legal aid costs or cause unnecessary operational difficulties to legal aid providers
- work effectively with justice system partners to assist to deliver the CJSSS
- make transparent the full cost of the criminal defence through input into the Waterfall.
Work to achieve this target includes achieving membership of all 42 Local Criminal Justice Boards (LCJBs) and attendance of 95% meetings thereafter.
About Waterfall
Waterfall is an activity model produced by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR).
It highlights the costs of the Criminal Justice System agencies and where the pressures exist.
We are working with the OCJR to determine:
- whether and/or where defence costs are appropriate
- which should be included
- to update the Waterfall accordingly.
We will be working with our justice system partners to:
- improve the defence’s experience of magistrates’ court listing practices
- police bail-back procedures and delays and discontinuances.
Regional priorities
Priorities for each region have been determined from baseline data and action plans developed.
Every quarter, each region will report on:
- progress made against the baseline
- best practice they have shared
- barriers identified and resolved.
For more information
Refer back to this page for details of happenings in your area.
With other questions please contact:
- your LSC regional lead under Documents
- Head of Whole System Initiatives Liz Long
- Stephen McGowan, Criminal Justice System Initiatives Project Manager
Last updated: 02 October 2008