Round-the-clock UK courts gain ground

Straw believes a 24-hour court system will speed up justice

LONDON, England -- Round-the-clock courts may be needed in England to tackle rising levels of youth crime, London's top policeman said.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens said: "Youth crime is not just a matter for police but also for other agencies. When arrested, offenders should go straight to court any time day or night.

"I've seen this court system work in New York, it speeds up the process."

Home Secretary Jack Straw believes a round-the-clock court system would revolutionise the way courts operate and speed up governmental justice, the Times reported.

But the Lord Chancellor's Office dismissed reports of the plans as "pure speculation."

"A review is being carried out of the criminal justice system generally but we are not focusing on any particular area," a spokeswoman said.

Lord Justice Auld is due to publish his report on court practice in early March.

The government has promised to halve the number of days from the time a young persistent offender is arrested to the time of sentence from 142 to 71 days.

But figures for October 2000 showed the average was 94 days.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Home Office
Lord Justice Auld
Lord Chancellor's Department

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