Prosecution Service faces case backlog concerns amid investigation shifts

Following the launch of the new Prosecution Service, there are growing concerns regarding delays in the criminal justice system. Data indicates that the number of cases transferred from the police to the Prosecution Service has dropped to approximately 38% of the average seen in the previous three months.

As of late September, the Prosecution Service reported 186,307 unsolved cases. To manage this, the agency stated it will not transfer all cases to the police at once but will instead review them individually and process them sequentially. The agency plans to selectively request supplementary investigations only when necessary.

Legal experts suggest that the decrease in transfers and potential for case backlogs stem from the removal of prosecutors' direct supplementary investigation powers. Under revised laws, police face increased responsibility and potential disciplinary action if they fail to fulfill supplementary investigation requests. With over 4.8 million unsolved cases currently managed by the police, there are warnings that prolonged transitional periods could lead to a paralysis of the criminal justice system.