A new online data dashboard Londoners see how long it courts to deal with criminal cases has been launched by the city’s deputy mayor for Policing and Crime.
The dashboard brings together data from across the criminal justice system to allows Londoners to see the number of cases being brought before courts in their area and the scale of delays.
It will also show how agencies are performing against targets to reduce the time taken between an offence being committed and the case concluding in court.
Last year a report by Conservatives on the London Assembly found that delays and failings by the CPS and other parts of the criminal justice system were responsible for thousands of cases being delayed or dropped, wasting money which could be spent cutting crime.
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Stephen Greenhalgh said: “For the first time Londoners are being shown the delays in our criminal justice system and they can see which court areas take the longest to deliver justice for victims.
“There are major challenges ahead if we want a criminal justice system in London that is swift and sure and we need to see a big improvement. Victims of crime should not have to tolerate months of delays while agencies play pass the parcel.”
Mr Greenhalgh also said “City Hall needs more oversight” of the criminal justice system within London to ensure its effectiveness in brining to justice, and rehabilitating, offenders.