header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us
16 December 2022 / Roger Smith
Issue: 8007 / Categories: Opinion , Profession , Legal aid focus
printer mail-detail

Justice in Numbers: a work in progress

© Copyright LexisNexis 2026. All Rights Reserved.
104765
The Ministry of Justice’s ‘one-stop shop’ for data is a promising start, but nowhere near a finished result, says Roger Smith

In October, previous Lord Chancellor Brandon Lewis and continuing permanent secretary Antonia Romeo proudly turned to Twitter. They were announcing ‘Justice in Numbers’, an ‘innovative new tool’ (Romeo) which provides a ‘one-stop shop for key statistics on prisons, probation and our courts’ (Lewis). Justice in Numbers comprises a digital package of information available on the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) website and a couple of PDFs for those who prefer printable information.

As perhaps is ever the case, clarity of information just opens up further questions. The MoJ does not expressly seek comment or commit to an interactive process of future development. However, it will surely be assisted by the thoughts of those outside government for whom this information is presumably provided.

So. Go to the website; form your own judgement of its usefulness; and inform a grateful department of your thoughts. Here are mine.

Honest data

First, the good news. The MoJ has taken, reasonably enough,

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
Hogan Lovells—Lisa Quelch

Hogan Lovells—Lisa Quelch

Partner hire strengthens global infrastructure and energy financing practice

Sherrards—Jan Kunstyr

Sherrards—Jan Kunstyr

Legal director bolsters international expertise in dispute resolution team

Muckle LLP—Stacey Brown

Muckle LLP—Stacey Brown

Corporate governance and company law specialist joins the team

NEWS
Read All
Legal notice: Notice under the Trustee Act 1925

NOTICE UNDER THE TRUSTEE ACT 1925

HERBERT SMITH STAFF PENSION SCHEME (THE “SCHEME”)

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND BENEFICIARIES UNDER SECTION 27 OF THE TRUSTEE ACT 1925
Emergency lawyers on call as international regulatory actions soar
Law firm HFW is offering clients lawyers on call for dawn raids, sanctions issues and other regulatory emergencies
NLJ this week: Employment law’s fine margins
From gender-critical speech to notice periods and incapability dismissals, employment law continues to turn on fine distinctions. In his latest employment law brief for NLJ, Ian Smith of Norwich Law School reviews a cluster of recent decisions, led by Bailey v Stonewall, where the Court of Appeal clarified the limits of third-party liability under the Equality Act
NLJ this week: Promises broken on non-molestation orders?
Non-molestation orders are meant to be the frontline defence against domestic abuse, yet their enforcement often falls short. Writing in NLJ this week, Jeni Kavanagh, Jessica Mortimer and Oliver Kavanagh analyse why the criminalisation of breach has failed to deliver consistent protection
NLJ this week: Assisted dying under the legal microscope
Assisted dying remains one of the most fraught fault lines in English law, where compassion and criminal liability sit uncomfortably close. Writing in NLJ this week, Julie Gowland and Barny Croft of Birketts examine how acts motivated by care—booking travel, completing paperwork, or offering emotional support—can still fall within the wide reach of the Suicide Act 1961
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll