December 2, 2005: New Criminal Justice Inspectorate Blueprint

The blueprint for the new single inspectorate for justice, community safety and custody has just been published by the Home Office, Department for Constitutional Affairs and the Attorney General. Independent inspection in the criminal justice system has long played a crucial role in improving services and holding organisations to account for their standards of service and treatment of individuals.

The Government intends to bring forward legislation to create a single inspectorate for justice, community safety and custody. The aim is to create a new, single inspectorate to replace the five that currently exist for the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, court administration, prisons and the National Probation Service.

In March 2005, the Chancellor of the Exchequer had announced the Government’s intention to reduce the number of public sector inspectorates from eleven to four. The Home Office, the Attorney General’s Office and the Department for Constitutional Affairs consulted on proposals to bring together and refocus the work of the five inspectorates for the police, the Crown Prosecution Service, court administration, prisons and the National Probation Service.

According to the government:

“The inspectorate will create a storehouse of expertise from the current inspectorates, sharing best practice in independent inspection and driving up standards across the system.”

Home Office Minister Fiona Mactaggart commented:

“The blueprint we have published today offers a unique opportunity to create an inspection regime that covers the criminal justice process from end to end - to make sure we provide a rigorous improved system for all those who come into contact with it…”

“The single inspectorate outlined today will build on the excellent work the five justice inspectorates have done in driving up performance. The new inspectorate will have a general duty to inspect and report on the functioning of the justice system and the delivery by the bodies within it of their duties relating to wider community safety. In addition to this general duty, the single inspectorate will have a special duty to inspect and report on the treatment and conditions of those in custody."