Justice calls for reforms to reduce pre-trial remand numbers
A legal research organization proposed changes to bail procedures after finding that 1 in 5 inmates await trial without conviction. Justice released recommendations to help magistrates make better decisions about pretrial detention as Britain’s remand population reached 11,629 people, among a record 17,071 held before trial.
The group said courts should presume release with conditions rather than jail as their default approach. Magistrates need standardized flowcharts from the Judicial College showing proper steps for bail decisions and more time for post-hearing reviews to improve their work.
Legal advisers face heavier workloads since a 2021 digital system took effect, leaving less time to counsel magistrates. The Magistrates Association backed the proposals but noted that shortages of legal advisers, growing case delays, and more defendants without lawyers create additional problems.
Courts handle nearly all decisions, sending people to jail before trial, making the quality of these rulings critical. The government plans to expand magistrates’ authority to decide more serious cases.
