Criminal Justice System in Crisis Mode

Staff retention issues are hampering the performance of the Criminal Justice System (CJS).

The Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorate reported in February 2024 that retaining experienced staff, alongside a range of wider systemic pressures, was seriously undermining the Criminal Justice System’s (CJS) ability to deliver an acceptable service to victims of crime in the UK. Two years on, in 2026, those concerns have not only persisted but also intensified in many areas.

I have previously written about the CJS being in a state of sustained crisis: a significant Crown Court backlog, historically high numbers of prisoners held on remand, and court buildings either closed or operating in a poor state of repair. While some progress has been made in specific areas, these structural pressures remain stubbornly entrenched. What has become increasingly clear in 2025 is that retention of experienced staff is now one of the most critical and destabilising challenges facing the system.

Across policing, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), HM Prison and Probation Service, and the wider court system, the loss of experienced personnel continues at pace. Recruitment drives have brought new entrants into the system, but experience cannot be accelerated or mass-produced. It takes years to develop the professional judgement, resilience, and confidence required to operate effectively as a frontline police officer, prosecutor, prison officer, probation practitioner, or advocate. When those individuals leave, their expertise leaves with them.

This loss has a cumulative effect. Not only does it reduce immediate operational capacity, but it also weakens the informal mentoring, supervision, and professional support that early-career staff rely upon. In 2025, many newer staff report learning “on the job” without consistent access to seasoned colleagues, increasing stress, risk aversion, and burnout — factors which, ironically, further fuel attrition.

The Inspectorate previously identified lack of capacity at the independent Bar as a major barrier to reducing the Crown Court backlog, with issues around pay, workload, and post-pandemic recovery driving criminal barristers out of practice. That position has not materially improved. In 2025, delays linked to counsel availability, late case preparation, and stretched prosecutorial teams continue to impact victims, witnesses, and defendants alike, eroding confidence in the system.

There have been examples of partly effective recruitment initiatives, most notably the Police Uplift Programme, which succeeded in increasing officer numbers. However, the experience of 2025 shows clearly that recruitment without retention is a short-term fix. High turnover among mid-career officers, investigators, and supervisors has limited the long-term benefits of uplift, placing additional strain on those who remain.

The Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorate called for urgent action to better understand why staff are leaving and to improve supervision and support. In 2025, this call is even more pressing. Exit data, staff surveys, and independent inspections increasingly point to common themes: workload intensity, lack of autonomy, insufficient professional development, perceived absence of organisational support, and a growing disconnect between senior leadership and frontline realities.

HMCPSI Chief Inspector Andrew Cayley KC CMG concluded that:

“To turn this around and deliver positive outcomes, especially for victims of crime, we are today calling on the police, CPS, prison and probation service to better understand why staff are leaving and regularly review their outputs to guarantee better supervision and support for their staff.”

The uncomfortable question remains: do those in positions of leadership genuinely want to hear the full truth about why experienced staff are leaving in such numbers? Honest answers may challenge long-standing assumptions, expose cultural and structural weaknesses, and require meaningful — and potentially difficult — change. Yet without that honesty, the cycle of attrition will continue, and the consequences will be felt most acutely by victims of crime and the communities the CJS exists to serve.

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Final Thoughts

It is clear that immediate action is needed to encourage young recruits to both go into criminal law and to remain there. An effective criminal justice system relies on each agency having a sufficient number of staff, with the requisite experience and skill sets. Until levels of retention improve, the likelihood of a negative impact on outcomes for victims remains.

Wendy Brook -Evans - Eyes on Crime Contributor