Criminals could pay for costs of justice system
Criminals will be made contribute to the cost of the justice system under a new system announced by the Justice Secretary.
The cost of running courts could be taken out of the future earnings of offenders to stop taxpayers having to pay for costs created by a minority, Chris Grayling revealed today.
Currently offenders can be required to make payments to victims, the courts and even Government agencies through a range of orders and fines but there is no power to make them pay directly towards the costs of running the court.
Why should the law-abiding, hard-working majority pay for a court service for the minority who break the law?
Chris Grayling, Justice Secretary
Criminal business in HM Courts and Tribunals Service in 2013/14 will cost £665.5million with almost 1.47 million defendants proceeded against at magistrates’ courts in the year up to September 2012.
Mr Grayling said those who live outside the law should “pay the consequences both through being punished and bearing more of the costs they impose on society.”
“That is why we are exploring ways to make criminals pay towards the cost of their prosecution to the court.”
“Why should the law-abiding, hard-working majority pay for a court service for the minority who break the law?”
The announcement comes as the Justice Secretary is expected to announce proposals to tackle soaring criminal legal aid bills.
Reforms to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act came into effect last week with large areas of law have been removed from the scope of civil legal aid.
Some law firms estimate the reforms could reduce the number of people qualifying for legal aid by 75per cent, meaning around 200,000 fewer cases.
Barristers have warned the cuts are the biggest to affect civil legal aid since the system was introduced in 1949.