28 April
2018
The Secret Barrister review – a justice system that is utterly broken
A
war crimes trial is stopped because the government has privatised the supply of
interpreters, and the company selected cannot present any who are qualified.
Two women, in all likelihood repeatedly raped by their father as children, are
humiliated, dehumanised and ultimately disbelieved in proceedings in which they
did not stand a chance. Thousands of people every year are convicted of crimes
by magistrates whose qualification for dispensing justice is filling out a
form, passing an interview, doing some charity work and being willing to sit
for 13 days a year, with 18 hours’ worth of training. A man whose innocence
should have been easily established in court is convicted of sexual assault
because relevant evidence was not disclosed by the police. And meanwhile
hundreds of hardworking, dedicated professionals are toiling in near impossible
conditions. […]
