Engels Module 3 en 4
1. In trouble with the law - Britain’s courts are a mess
What is the main message of this text?
- Brittain’s courts are in a bad state: they are under serious strain and the government seems
to even pile extra pressure on the system. An increasing number of cases are folding
because of the failure to hold a timely hearing.
Why did the barristers (in the second court case mentioned in the text) have to decide whether
a man could be kept in prison for longer than would normally be legal? In other words: why -
ironically - this extra court case?
- Because of a failure to find a slot for trial in time
Britain’s commercial courts are favoured in the world. What for?
- For their efficiency and impartially (= onpartijdigheid)
How many outstanding crown court cases were there approximately at the end of the first
quarter of 2021?
- 60.000
What was the average time (in weeks) to resolve a private dispute involving children in 2021?
- 40 weeks
True or false?
Many jury trials were moved online in England and Wales, nevertheless, a backlog quickly built
up.
- False, jury trials were not conducted remotely in England and Wales
Despite the fact that cases with a guilty plea could be held remotely, a backlog did build up
quickly.
- True
“Legal aid is a particular pinch point; How come?”
- Rates were last increased last century and were cut by 10% in 2014. Legal-aid firms have
fallen by almost 50%.
What is the result, according to Lucy Welsh and how does she explain this result?
- Weaker cases. The longer one takes to come to trial, the fuzzier the memories of witnesses
and victims become.
“Rape is effectively descriminalised.” says Dame Vera Baird, the government’s victims
commissioner. What does she mean?
- The number of cases that are completed fell from more than 5.000 to 1.500 last year. She
says this because the proportion of cases that fold because the victim withdraws has risen
from 9% to 26% since 2015. This means that a significant number of offenders are getting
away with their crime without being punished at all.
What are “single justice procedures”?
- Hearings in which defendants who admit guilt do not need to come to court.
, The government does plan to improve things for Britain’s courts and 4 decisions/ proposals
are mentioned in the article. Which ones? Sum them up in a nutshell.
- it would lift the cap on the number of sitting days
- It has increased spending on the CPS (not on legal aid) = Crown Prosecutor Service
- It will allow more hearings to be held online
- It has proposed extending court hours.
Barristers, however, are opposed to longer working days. What are their arguments?
- They need evenings to prepare cases and they travel long distances to court.
In what way is the government piling even extra pressure on the system?
- It is in the process of hiring extra police officers, which will mean more arrests, more charges
and eventually more trials
1. In trouble with the law - Britain’s courts are a mess
What is the main message of this text?
- Brittain’s courts are in a bad state: they are under serious strain and the government seems
to even pile extra pressure on the system. An increasing number of cases are folding
because of the failure to hold a timely hearing.
Why did the barristers (in the second court case mentioned in the text) have to decide whether
a man could be kept in prison for longer than would normally be legal? In other words: why -
ironically - this extra court case?
- Because of a failure to find a slot for trial in time
Britain’s commercial courts are favoured in the world. What for?
- For their efficiency and impartially (= onpartijdigheid)
How many outstanding crown court cases were there approximately at the end of the first
quarter of 2021?
- 60.000
What was the average time (in weeks) to resolve a private dispute involving children in 2021?
- 40 weeks
True or false?
Many jury trials were moved online in England and Wales, nevertheless, a backlog quickly built
up.
- False, jury trials were not conducted remotely in England and Wales
Despite the fact that cases with a guilty plea could be held remotely, a backlog did build up
quickly.
- True
“Legal aid is a particular pinch point; How come?”
- Rates were last increased last century and were cut by 10% in 2014. Legal-aid firms have
fallen by almost 50%.
What is the result, according to Lucy Welsh and how does she explain this result?
- Weaker cases. The longer one takes to come to trial, the fuzzier the memories of witnesses
and victims become.
“Rape is effectively descriminalised.” says Dame Vera Baird, the government’s victims
commissioner. What does she mean?
- The number of cases that are completed fell from more than 5.000 to 1.500 last year. She
says this because the proportion of cases that fold because the victim withdraws has risen
from 9% to 26% since 2015. This means that a significant number of offenders are getting
away with their crime without being punished at all.
What are “single justice procedures”?
- Hearings in which defendants who admit guilt do not need to come to court.
, The government does plan to improve things for Britain’s courts and 4 decisions/ proposals
are mentioned in the article. Which ones? Sum them up in a nutshell.
- it would lift the cap on the number of sitting days
- It has increased spending on the CPS (not on legal aid) = Crown Prosecutor Service
- It will allow more hearings to be held online
- It has proposed extending court hours.
Barristers, however, are opposed to longer working days. What are their arguments?
- They need evenings to prepare cases and they travel long distances to court.
In what way is the government piling even extra pressure on the system?
- It is in the process of hiring extra police officers, which will mean more arrests, more charges
and eventually more trials
