How can better justice be delivered?

From national issues such as the crown court backlog and prison overcrowding through to tougher sentencing tariffs and out-of-court disposals, the Derbyshire PCC is keen to fully understand the public's perception of the justice system as part of her plans to increase trust and confidence in policing. As Chair of Derbyshire's Criminal Justice Board, she convenes with all the relevant stakeholders and partners to ensure we are doing all that we can to give victims the justice they deserve.

The Commissioner's next Public Assurance Meeting (PAM) looks at ‘Bringing Offenders to Justice' - one of six key priorities in her new Police and Crime Plan. She is inviting residents to submit questions about any aspect of justice ahead of the event to set the tone of the discussions.

Questions will be answered directly by the Chief Constable or the relevant force specialist during the PCC's podcast, which will be available to the public to view after the meeting.

PAM meetings are hosted regularly by the PCC to enable her to fulfil her responsibilities of holding the Chief Constable Rachel Swann and the force to account for the successful delivery of her Police and Crime Plan priorities.

These priorities are representative of the issues local people have told her are important during her extensive engagement activity.

In addressing the public's priority of ‘Bringing Offenders to Justice', the PCC has pledged to work with all criminal justice partners and key stakeholders to improve the service to victims of crime.

Among several commitments in her Plan is a promise to make improvements to increase file quality to drive up police charging rates and to improve the quality of police investigation from evidence preservation through to outcome to enhance service to victims and increase confidence in policing.

She has also pledged to ensure critical information for victims of crime is better communicated to those navigating the justice system and work with the force to maximise opportunities to prevent offending through early intervention, help and restorative support. 

In her wider national work, the Commissioner has committed to lobbying the Government for stronger laws and tougher policies and penalties where necessary and to reduce offending through the effective use of out-of-court disposals including restorative justice and immediate justice where appropriate.

Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts said: "Our criminal justice system relies on victims coming forward to give evidence. When victims lose faith and confidence in the process, they withdraw support, leaving perpetrators free to walk our streets with disastrous effects. 

"As a collective, we must work harder to make the journey to justice not only faster but also smoother, supporting victims at every opportunity to enhance their recovery from trauma and to build confidence and trust in the system overall.

"This is why we continue to invite and learn from lived experiences of our justice system to help us implement changes that have a meaningful impact on victims and will help encourage others to come forward in future. If you have been affected by crime or have an experience of the criminal justice system - good or bad - please get in touch. What you share could be key to transforming future services for our communities."

Public Assurance Meetings are recorded and published via the Commissioner's website and social media channels.

Questions should be submitted in writing and cannot be in relation to current investigations. The deadline for submission of all questions is Monday 21st July. The meeting will take place on Monday 6th October 2025. To submit your questions, please visit this link.