London, 2 December (H.S.): The UK government is poised to announce sweeping reforms to the criminal justice system in England and Wales, proposing to restrict jury trials to only the most serious offenses such as murder, rape, and manslaughter. The initiative, revealed through a leaked government document, aims to address the unprecedented backlog of cases clogging the Crown Courts.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy will present the plans to Parliament on Tuesday. Currently, around 78,000 cases await trial in Crown Courts, with projections showing this number could surpass 100,000 within a few years if no action is taken. The proposed reforms intend to end jury trials for a wide range of offenses including theft, most drug offenses, violent and sexual crimes, and fraud, transferring trial decisions in these cases to judges alone.

To compensate, magistrates—volunteer judicial officers who handle most cases in lower courts—will see their sentencing powers doubled to two years. Lammy emphasized the need to balance the rights of victims with the efficiency of the justice system, arguing that minor cases clog the system and delay trials of more serious crimes.

The proposals have drawn criticism from legal professionals who contend the backlog stems from chronic underfunding rather than jury trials themselves. The Criminal Bar Association’s chair, Riel Karmy-Jones KC, warned that introducing new court divisions in an under-resourced system could complicate matters further.

Political opposition also questioned the shift, with Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick accusing the government of neglecting court funding in favor of welfare spending. Nonetheless, the government stands firm in pursuing reforms aimed at reviving a justice system currently plagued by long delays and growing caseloads.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar