Wrongful convictions in the Post Office scandal and for train fare evasion have been described by the Government as ‘catastrophic failures’, and it's held a consultation in England and Wales to reform private prosecutions.
It covers private prosecutions brought by organisations, and also, the SJP - the single justice procedure - where a minor criminal offence is decided by a magistrate behind closed doors. Tens of thousands of rail fines have been quashed, after train companies were found to have misused the SJP system.
So how should private prosecutions be reformed?
Also on the programme:
how "No Further Action" and police cautions can leave a lasting mark on safeguarding and criminal records checks.
(Note that in Scotland, the nearest equivalent to a police caution is a Procurator Fiscal warning which is usually issued for low level offences such as street drinking or breach of the peace).
Presenter: Dr Joelle Grogan
Producers: Ravi Naik and Charlotte Rowles
Editors: Tara McDermott and Nick Holland
Contributors:
Dr Jonathan Rogers, part of the campaign group Criminal Justice Reform Now and Co-Deputy Director of the Cambridge Centre for Criminal Justice
Tristan Kirk court correspondent at the London Evening Standard
Nathalie Potter head of DBS at Olliers solicitors in Manchester
