Impacting on service improvement: user research for HMCTS
Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) commissioned us to conduct qualitative research with 38 defendants to develop recommendations to improve the engagement of defendants with criminal court processes, particularly in the early stages of their engagement in police custody.
To improve engagement in police custody we recommended that HMCTS:
- Work with the Police to support them to inform defendants more effectively about their rights when being questioned, whilst still acting within PACE guidelines.
- Provide written information in Easy Read format to defendants that explains the importance of representation when being questioned.
- At the point that the defendant is charged, provide the defendant with information in Easy Read format about the next steps in their journey and how they can prepare for their hearing.
HMCTS have since developed a pilot with two Police forces (Suffolk and Norfolk) to test the impact of providing more information to defendants whilst they are in police custody and at the point of being charged. Our recommendations have informed the development of this pilot, including the user testing (to promote accessibility) of published materials with defendants.
- HMCTS developed a leaflet (to be given to defendants when they are booked into the police station) and posters (to be displayed in custody suites) encouraging defendants to seek independent and free legal advice in police custody.
- HMCTS also developed a leaflet (to be provided to defendants when they are charged) encouraging them to seek further legal advice and signposting them to further resources around selecting a legal representative and what to expect at court.
