Police and Crime Commissioners from Hampshire and Thames Valley have jointly demanded increased Ministry of Justice funding, warning the criminal justice system is ‘buckling’ ahead of Wednesday’s government spending review.
Donna Jones and Matthew Barber, who serve Hampshire and Isle of Wight and Thames Valley respectively, have urged ministers to boost Ministry of Justice (MOJ) investment before the 11 June spending assessment.
The MOJ manages courts, prisons, probation services and victim support. The commissioners argue insufficient investment has created court delays and overwhelmed services. Despite policing receiving crime reduction funding, Jones and Barber seek comprehensive system investment for sustainable reform.
Current figures show 73,105 court cases pending trial as of September 2024, whilst 16,231 inmates received early release in 2024 under government schemes addressing prison overcrowding.
Their joint declaration stated: “The system is buckling. Policing represents just one agency. We cannot persist in starving the criminal justice system of resources whilst expecting public confidence. Justice does not conclude when offenders face arrest. It concludes when victims witness resolution, and when rehabilitation or punishment delivers properly. Currently, that cycle remains broken.
“Officers work relentlessly arresting dangerous individuals. They address violent crime, child abuse, domestic violence and organised crime, yet numerous cases collapse because courts face congestion, evidence disappears, or legal procedures fail through under-resourcing. Victims remain in limbo, and sometimes face complete denial of justice.
“Early prisoner release and community sentence proposals may ease pressure, but only with proper funding for community supervision, rehabilitation services and offender management teams. Otherwise, we merely transfer risk to the public domain and onto stretched police, probation and support services.
Portsmouth man arrested after Denmead assault
“I endorse meaningful rehabilitation. Not everyone requires imprisonment, but for those who do, particularly serious sexual and violent offenders, prison remains essential for public protection. Where rehabilitation proves appropriate, it requires proper resourcing and monitoring. Currently, neither occurs to public expectations.
“We cannot persist treating justice as fragmented agencies. It constitutes a single, interdependent system. When one element fails, it impacts every other element – and crucially, it fails the public we collectively serve.”
