We have seen it plastered across the news networks, in the papers, and in our everyday conversation; cuts to the police pot are still happening. By the same measure we are being fed the information that knife crime is an increasingly big killer amongst children and adults. In fact, knife crime and other violent or criminal activities are increasing across the country whilst police numbers are decreasing.

What does this mean for the future of fair trial? Under extreme pressure, we make mistakes, we miss otherwise obvious information; police officers and admin staff are mere mortals just as we are. With the risk of vital information being accidentally missed, to whom may a solicitor turn to ensure their client has the best possible outcome from trial? As providers of the most targeted network of expert witnesses, we are regularly in contact with solicitors looking to appoint investigation services to scour evidence, revisit crime scenes and see that every possible lead has been detected. Here we look at how budget cuts are directly affecting fair trial and what our investigation services can do to help.

Increasing Crime Rates in the UK

The capital, unsurprisingly, takes the brunt of the media attention with an accumulated number of 62 killings since the beginning of this year, though there have been far more reports of violent crime not resulting in death. London is not the solitary bubble that it is often portrayed as. Criminal activity is filtering through our cities at sometimes concerning rates, which only adds fuel to the media frenzy reporting upon crime rates, as well as cases of wrongful accusations which have been prolonged by a suffering police system.

How Budget Cuts are Damaging Fair Trial

The strain felt by the police force is ever-growing, but it is not felt solely by the officers on patrol. Less loudly recognised by the media outlets are the significant cuts to the backroom admin staff – the paperwork warriors whose role is to ensure the documentation of each piece of evidence gathered in a criminal investigation is thoroughly checked, scrutinised, and correctly filed or stored. The workload is only getting heavier and consequently evidence can go missing or is missed altogether whilst wading through case after case.

Instruction of Investigation Services to Ensure Justice

With mistakes being made or evidence missed, the consequences can be severe in court. By instructing investigation services, made up of senior detectives and chief police officers, a solicitor can eliminate the miscarriage of justice.
By performing comprehensive examinations of the evidence, revisiting crime scenes, verifying original interviews and executing additional interviews following uncovered leads, the appointment of investigation services can not only give direction to the solicitor’s work, but significantly strengthen their case in court.

As private investigation experts, spotting incompetence and inconsistencies in witness statements and paperwork is second nature. Their unquestionable understanding of legal practices is a great asset to the solicitor who can save substantial time by trusting the professional investigators to commit to their role. In addition, their conclusions and methodology will be written up into a detailed and accessible report to be used directly in court to support the solicitor’s case. Taking such an in-depth, thorough and well-structured approach to the investigation, the instruction of the senior detective or chief police officer is able to eradicate mistakes and ensure fair trial.

Our nationwide network of investigation service professionals is ready to assist in your case. To find out more about our investigation services and expert witness pool, get in touch with our experienced case managers.