Rate my judge: let criminals give feedback, urges Cps-backed review

 Criminals should be allowed to mark judges on their performance to “demystify” the justice system, a report has recommended.

The Lammy Review into bias and discrimination faced by black, Asian and ethnic minority defendants, suggested an online feedback system should be set up.

Information from defendants, victims and jurors would identify those who fail to explain sentences and could influence annual appraisals.

The review, led by David Lammy, a Labour MP, said a system for feedback could address the “trust deficit” in the criminal justice system.

It proposed the survey to obtain “feedback on how judges conduct cases … focusing specifically on attributes such as courtesy, clarity and efficiency”.

Mr Lammy said: “This information gathered from crown court staff, lawyers, jurors, victims and defendants would reveal whether decisions are understood by all those affected by them.”

The review also recommended “race-blind” prosecutions and allowing offenders to be rehabilitated instead of entering a plea and going through the courts.

It was welcomed by Alison Saunders, the Director of Public Prosecutions, who said it could “develop further ways we can improve our work”.