At the close of a criminal assizes in July, High Court Justice Albert Redhead said he noticed a general lack of experience among Crown prosecutors. A 2011 annual report from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions attributed the problem to government’s decision to limit new hires.
“In common with other public sector organisations, the ODPP was subject to the government’s decision to restrict recruitment in the period under review,” the report stated. “This presented challenges for the office to ensure the most effective strategic management of available resources, so that the service provided by the office would not be compromised.”
However, the limitations also gave legal staff the “opportunity” to take on cases they otherwise would not have been assigned, according to the report.
See the Nov. 29, 2012 edition for full coverage.
{fcomment}