A fair and efficient system of criminal justice is one of the hallmarks of a civilised society. However, there has been much public criticism of the system in England and Wales for many years. Successful prosecutions for a number of serious reported crimes, such as rapes, are extremely low. Long delays are often experienced in cases of all kinds before they are brought to trial. Prisons are notoriously overcrowded and achieve little success in rehabilitation. Corruption and inefficiency in the police appear to be growing. And leading figures have frequently criticised the whole system for being seriously underfunded.

Is our criminal justice system really as bad as is often depicted in the media or is it fundamentally sound, requiring only minor adjustments? And how well does it compare with those in other developed countries, such as the Netherlands? Tom Little KC will explore these and other important questions in the Nineteenth Norfolk Cambridge Society Public lecture, from 6.30pm on 29 February 2024 at Norwich School.

Tom Little is Senior Treasury Counsel, an Old Norvicensian and one of the country's most distinguished KCs. He has prosecuted some of the country’s most highprofile criminal cases, including the murder of Jo Cox MP, the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard and the murder of Sir David Amess MP. He has also prosecuted a number of other well known individuals including Max Clifford and Lord Ahmed of Rotherham. In 2021, he won Crime Silk of the Year at the Chambers UK Bar Awards. We are extremely fortunate to have such an eminent speaker on this most important topic.