The next meeting of Rugby's Conservative Policy Forum will be held at the Association Office, Albert Buildings, 2 Castle Mews, Rugby, when the topic for discussion will be Justice.

Preventing crime and ensuring justice for the victims of crime continue to be amongst the highest priorities for the Conservative Party. Fairness must be the foundation on which our criminal justice system is built. In these straitened times, however, it is essential that justice is delivered as cost-effectively as possible.

In its first paper this year, the Home affairs, Justice and Constitution Sectoral Group has examined a range of issues that arise in the criminal justice system. Whilst they may appear at first glance to be a disparate set of issues, questions of fairness and cost effectiveness underlie them all. 

Factors such as a changing population and the emergence of new categories of criminal behaviour, for example, crimes committed on the internet, have the potential to increase costs within the criminal justice system. Technological advances in the detection, apprehension and punishment of crime have the potential to both save and cost money: for example, improved DNA analysis helps the detection of crime but, in turn, increases costs in the courts and prisons as more defendants are brought to justice. 

This paper has been produced in conjunction with our Justice and Home Affairs Sectoral Group, who have examined a range of issues in the criminal justice system in order to produce this document.

We have also produced a PowerPoint presentation for use in discussions. This presentation, along with the brief, summary sheet and response form, is available for download below.