Effectiveness of the justice system

Fact checks related to the effectiveness of the justice system including budgets, staffing and policing

24 March 2021

Burnt-out police car in Bristol protests was not fake

An image of a burnt-out police car taken during protests in Bristol is not ‘a prop’

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24 July 2020

Many children have been the victims of grooming gangs, but there’s no evidence for a figure of one million

We can’t objectively compare the public response to grooming gangs with Black Lives Matter

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18 February 2020

Justice spending is down 25% since 2010, not 40%

The government did announce a real terms reduction of 40% to the Ministry of Justice but ultimately reduced funding by 25% between 2010/11 and 2019/20.

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10 January 2020

How long do murderers serve in prison?

Over half of murderers released from prison have served between 11 and 18 years in custody.

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9 October 2019

More prisoners to be released two thirds of the way through sentence than halfway

The government pledged to mandate serious criminals spending two thirds of their sentence in prison. Judges already have discretion to impose this.

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17 August 2018

How many cyclists are killed each year?

Cyclists made up 6% of deaths and 14% of serious injuries on British roads in 2016. Around 1% of pedestrian deaths were caused by cyclists.

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20 April 2018

Stop and search: higher arrest rate?

The number of stop and searches fell by 78% between 2009/10 and 2016/17, with the proportion leading to arrests rising from 8% to 17% in the same period.

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8 June 2016

What would Brexit mean for criminal justice?

Criminal law expert J.R. Spencer explains how the EU affects criminal justice in the UK, and how leaving the EU might change things.

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19 February 2016

Could killers convicted under 'joint enterprise' walk free from jail?

Could killers walk free as a result of changes to the law? Not necessarily.

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11 February 2016

Can killers now avoid life in prison with a guilty plea?

Suggested new guidelines for judges, published today, wouldn’t significantly change the rules on when someone stays in prison for life.

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