The Times announces ‘The Times Crime and Justice Commission’, a groundbreaking year-long inquiry to consider the future of policing and the criminal justice system. The commission, which follows ‘The Times Education Commission and The Times Health Commission’, will run for a year, with a final report published in April next year
From 22 April it will hold fortnightly evidence sessions, with witnesses including police officers, victims, judges, lawyers, prison officers, scientists, business leaders and academics.
Rachel Sylvester, Times columnist and chair of the commission, said: “The Times Education and Health commissions were a huge success in informing public debate and shaping policy ideas.
“We are now focusing on crime and justice at a time when the UK has a knife crime crisis, a shoplifting epidemic, the growing threat of cyber-crime, concerns about the culture of the police, court backlogs, problems with legal aid and overflowing prisons.
“We are thankful to our brilliant list of commissioners for agreeing to take part, and we will work with them to ensure the recommendations are heard and can lead to positive change.”
Dame Sharon White, the chairwoman of the John Lewis Partnership, Peter Clarke, the former head of counter-terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, Lord Burnett of Maldon, the former Lord Chief Justice, Sir Tom Winsor, the former chief inspector of constabulary and Baronness Manningham Buller, the former head of MI5 are among the other Commissioners.
It will draw up recommendations for reform in the following ten areas:
- Policing (including the culture of the police)
- Knife crime, gangs and acquisitive crime
- Violence against women and girls
- Cyber-crime, fraud and online harms
- Terrorism
- The causes of crime (including mental health, special educational needs and addition)
- The court system
- Sentencing policy and the judiciary
- Prisons, probation and rehabilitation
- The role of new technology and forensics
There will be five meetings of the whole commission over the course of the year. Baroness Casey of Blackstock, the author of a review about the culture of the Metropolitan Police, will give evidence at the first session.
The commission will consult widely with victims and practitioners to identify problems in the system and work out pragmatic, practical solutions.
The recommendations will be focussed on the criminal justice system in England but the commission will also consider the lessons to be learnt from around the UK and examine international police, court and prison systems to identify examples of best practice.
