Criminal courts in England and Wales face a huge backlog of more than 79,600 cases waiting to be tried. That number is expected to reach 100,000 by 2028, according to government figures. This means people charged with serious crimes today might not go to trial until after 2030, leaving victims, witnesses, and suspects waiting years for justice. The problem started growing in 2010 after budget cuts reduced funding, closed many courts, and limited judges' working days, leaving courtrooms empty. The COVID-19 pandemic made the problem worse by shutting courts for months and forcing social distancing rules that slowed trials when they reopened.
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