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The Crown Court Study (Pt 1)

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28 November 2025 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 8141 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , In Court , Criminal
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Three decades ago, Professor Michael Zander conducted a unique nationwide study of Crown Court cases. The study is now accessible online. He says the findings are still relevant today
  • Part 1 of this two-part series reports on the response to long questionnaires of all the participants,
  • The findings are an assessment of the work of the judges, prosecution and defence barristers, defence solicitors, CPS, police and jurors..

The Crown Court Study (CCS) (HMSO, 1993) was a very large research project I conducted while a member of the Runciman Royal Commission on Criminal Justice. No such study has ever been carried out in the courts of this country, or I imagine anywhere else. I believe that most of its findings are as relevant today as 30 years ago, but the study has been forgotten.

After all these years, the report of the study has been uploaded and is now accessible online: eprints.lse.ac.uk/129889/

The nature of the study

The CCS consisted of long questionnaires given to all the participants in every completed case in every Crown

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