Yes I know it’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these, a long while, and looking back at the last post way back in 2017, it was about tiredness
At the risk of going over old ground, it’s still a serious issue, probably more now than it was then
Why?
Well I guess it’s pretty obvious - less criminal lawyers in the system now, as the older (and wiser) ones get out whether by retirement or otherwise, and the young are increasingly wise enough not to come into criminal law.
Add in cuts to fees over the last few years, and you have an ageing population of the CJS, having to work more hours but being paid less.
It is quite simply unsustainable, and it’s not now a question of if the system fails, just when that happens.
And it’s not just the lawyers suffering in this way, look at the state and decay of the court estate. It’s probably a race as to which collapses first, the people or the buildings