Leading experts address the challenges facing the justice system as part of the Foundation’s Public right to justice programme
A system under strain – from delays, and limited access, to declining public confidence – is the focus of Why Justice Matters, a new collection of essays that explores the issues at the heart of the Nuffield Foundation’s Public right to justice programme.
Building on the Foundation’s longstanding interest in justice as a cornerstone of a well-functioning society, Public right to justice examines whether the justice system in England and Wales is delivering the fair and effective service people need and expect.
A thought-provoking collection
The essay collection is authored by leading experts from across academia, policy, and practice, including leading economist Professor Dame Diane Coyle, access to justice advocate Shameem Ahmad, and public health campaigner Sir Michael Marmot. They paint a compelling picture of why justice matters for our political, economic and social well-being, and the dangers of it being under-funded, deprioritised, and misunderstood.
With a focus on civil courts and tribunals, the essays highlight the often-overlooked but vital ways the justice system shapes our daily lives – from the economy to health – the risks created by a fraying system, and ideas for change.
They also shine a spotlight on a range of current concerns facing the justice system, including backlogs, deteriorating IT and infrastructure, and limited access, which threaten to undermine efforts to build a fair, prosperous, and inclusive society.
The justice system underpins our society and upholds the values upon which it depends, but is facing profound and urgent problems. This collection of essays brings these challenges into sharp focus and warns of the wider social consequences of a justice system not working as it should. We invite policymakers and the legal profession to read the essays and engage with us on ideas for change, so we can work together to shape reforms that will ensure it serves those who need it.Gavin Kelly, Chief Executive, Nuffield Foundation
Expert authors
Edited by journalist Tom Clark, the collection forms a foundational body of work, presenting the need for renewed attention to justice through the following essays:
- Tom Clark, journalist, and Rob Street, the Nuffield Foundation – Introduction: The strains on civil justice and its consequences
- David Allen Green, lawyer and journalist – The civil courts and public confidence
- Professor Dame Diane Coyle, University of Cambridge – The law’s singular role in trust, trade and investment
- Professor Sir Michael Marmot and Professor Dame Hazel Genn, University College London – Health and justice: A fundamental connection
- Dame Karen Buck, former MP – Why MPs are a flawed substitute for legal advice
- Dr Frederick Wilmot-Smith, barrister and Fellow, All Souls College, University of Oxford – The law and democracy: Cherish both, but keep them distinct
- Shameem Ahmad, Chief Executive, Public Law Project – How the justice system can build a fairer society
- Professor Judith Resnik, Yale Law School – Why care about the courts?
- The Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder, Master, Pembroke College, University of Oxford, former Trustee of the Nuffield Foundation – Human experience, the rule of law and justice systems
