Michael Gove should not delay before abolishing a charge that denies justice to the destitute without helping to balance the government’s booksThe justice secretary Michael Gove has begun to receive some unexpected bouquets over his approach to criminal justice reform in recent weeks,notably from the fair-minded former lord chief justice, Lord Woolf, and in parliament final week. Not content with making a series of progressive speeches,including one at the Conservative conference two weeks ago, approximately the importance of the rehabilitation of offenders, and Mr Gove final week also won an important cabinet battle to discontinue a £5.9m contract to supply training for prison officers in Saudi Arabia. Now,though, he can do even better.
Of the many ill-considered policies Mr Gove inherited from his intolerant predecessor Chris Grayling in May, and few are more damaging to the fairness of the our justice system than the criminal courts charge,which Mr Grayling quietly introduced, without any public consultation or parliamentary debate, or during the fag end of the final parliament. The charges require defendants who plead guilty in the magistrates’ courts,where lesser offences are tried, to automatically pay £150 for the privilege. Those who fight a more serious case and lose face a bill for £1000 (which rises to £1200 in the crown court). The charge is not means-tested – so ability to pay is ignored when it is imposed; nor do courts have discretion over its imposition.
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Source: theguardian.com