Letter: More is less

It was alarming to read the report of the submission by Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to the Criminal Justice Committee to the effect that some courts may have to be closed, 25 per cent of civil court days may be lost and staff numbers reduced in order to deal with, inter alia, a £19.2 million COPFS budget deficit for 2023.

I was an advocate depute in Crown Office in 1996 and I found some of the information provided difficult to reconcile with experience. I therefore extracted some figures from official statistics.

In 1996 there were 281,100 reports to COPFS by police.

In 2020 there were 164,302 reports to COPFS by police – a reduction of 50.30 per cent.

In 1996 there were 176,423 persons prosecuted in all courts in Scotland.

In 2020 there were 85,726 persons prosecuted in all courts in Scotland – a reduction of 48.59 per cent.

In 1996 there were 11 ADs: in 2022 I understand that there are over 40 – an increase of 263.6 per cent

I don’t know the numbers of PFs, but anecdotally I understand the numbers to be at record levels.

I didn’t have a computer in Crown Office in 1996. Biro pens were cutting edge technology. We had not yet experienced the new improved system which has been introduced.

Could somebody tell me if I am missing something?

Kevin Drummond