As part of the wider arrangements for the review and monitoring of the summary criminal reforms, the Board gave an undertaking to publish figures showing the numbers of applications received for the various types of summary criminal legal assistance.
We can now provide details of the numbers of applications received for grants of advice and assistance, assistance by way of representation (ABWOR), and summary criminal legal aid for July to September 2008. This follows the implementation of the reform of summary criminal legal assistance on 30 June 2008. Also shown for comparison purposes are the applications received for April, May and June, and the monthly average for 2007/08.
| |
Monthly average 2007-2008 |
April 08 |
May 08 |
June 08 |
July 08 |
August 08 |
Sept
08 |
| Grants of criminal advice and assistance |
8,661 |
8,854 |
8,546 |
8,946 |
4,343 |
2,937 |
3,029 |
|
| Grants of ABWOR |
1,428 |
1,737 |
1,487 |
1,381 |
3,428 |
3,750 |
3,765 |
| Applications for summary criminal legal aid |
6,874 |
6,848 |
6,323 |
6,490 |
5,012 |
4,453 |
4,759 |
| Total grants of ABWOR and applications for summary criminal legal aid |
8,302 |
8,585 |
7,810 |
7,871 |
8,440 |
8,203 |
8,560 |
The figures for July and August 2008 show that average grants of criminal advice and assistance have fallen by 61% compared to April to June 2008, while grants of criminal ABWOR have increased by 137%. Average applications for summary criminal legal aid fell by 27% in the same period.
Summary criminal grant rates
The following table shows the grant rates for summary criminal cases for the same months, and for 2007-2008, split by court type:
| |
2007-2008 |
April 08 |
May 08 |
June 08 |
July 08 |
August 08 |
Sept
08 |
Sheriff Court |
93% |
97% |
95% |
96% |
95% |
97% |
96% |
Stipendiary Magistrates Court |
87.7% |
93% |
88% |
96% |
88% |
93% |
96% |
District/JP Court |
73.1% |
73% |
73% |
77% |
77% |
82% |
78% |
All Courts |
89.5% |
92% |
92% |
93% |
92% |
94% |
94% |
Breakdown of court type for summary criminal applications received
The following table shows the breakdown of the court types for the summary criminal grant applications received same months, and for 2007/8, split by court type:
| |
|
April 08 |
May 08 |
June 08 |
July 08 |
Aug 08 |
Sept 08 |
Sheriff Court
|
80% |
79% |
79% |
79% |
81% |
82% |
81% |
| Stipendiary Magistrates Court |
4% |
3% |
3% |
4% |
4% |
4% |
5% |
| District/JP Court |
16% |
18% |
18% |
17% |
15% |
14% |
14% |
| All Courts |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
The figures for July to September 2008 show that there were slight changes in the breakdown of the court types of summary criminal applications, compared to April to June 2008. JP court case fell from 17% to 15% of the total applications, stipendiary magistrates cases rose from 3% to 4%, and sheriff court cases rose slightly from 80% to 81%.
Last updated 02 November 2008. |
