The Future of Criminal Justice - Leading a ‘whole-system’ approach to criminal justice
Criminal justice leaders across the world are trying to build more integrated systems—and are being increasingly open about the need to enlist the support of other agencies and groups to reduce crime and improve safety. Success requires great leadership courage, a fundamental shift in leadership approaches and a different approach to designing and implementing reforms. A human problem Criminal justice is often seen as a legal or administrative matter. But at its heart, crime is deeply human and personal. The circumstances that lead to crime are intimate, messy and complex.
Chronic offending is often linked to childhood trauma, abuse, and neglect—though many suffer difficult childhoods and go onto live successful law-abiding lives.2 Criminality is often correlated with poor education, health, housing and employment situations. And criminal decision-making is shaped by moments. Offending is more likely to take place at specific times and in places where there are crime opportunities and provocations—in insecure properties, crowded bars, or unlit streets, for example. The consequences of crime are no less multi-dimensional. Those who commit crime often face a long path to desistance, requiring new skills, relationships and thinking patterns.3 Victims and witnesses often require the support of society and government to assist their recovery and ensure their involvement in bringing perpetrators to justice.4 Preventing crime, ensuring justice, and supporting desistance are therefore not things that criminal justice agencies can do alone.
Even coordinating a criminal investigation and successful prosecution is a multi-agency endeavor. Issues such as addiction, education, housing, employment are all managed by agencies operating beyond the justice system. And outcomes are often shaped by private and voluntary sector organisations as much as governmental ones. It is banks and retailers, for example, whose actions often do most to reduce levels of financial crime and detect fraudsters; vehicle manufactures whose security protocols significantly influence vehicle theft; and employers whose attitudes to hiring people with convictions can affect reoffending. Even more fundamentally, no organization can force people to desist from crime, or recover from victimization. Government can only encourage and enable better outcomes through the policy framework it designs and the services it delivers. Complex problems require a multidimensional response, but governments can harness the hidden wealth of nations: the social capital of citizens, businesses and non-profits to contribute to the criminal justice mission.
Preventing crime, ensuring justice, and supporting desistance are therefore not things that criminal justice agencies can do alone. Even coordinating a criminal investigation and successful prosecution is a multi-agency endeavor. Issues such as addiction, education, housing, employment are all managed by agencies operating beyond the justice system. And outcomes are often shaped by private and voluntary sector organisations as much as governmental ones. It is banks and retailers, for example, whose actions often do most to reduce levels of financial crime and detect fraudsters; vehicle manufactures whose security protocols significantly influence vehicle theft; and employers whose attitudes to hiring people with convictions can affect reoffending. Even more fundamentally, no organization can force people to desist from crime, or recover from victimization. Government can only encourage and enable better outcomes through the policy framework it designs and the services it delivers. Complex problems require a multidimensional response, but governments can harness the hidden wealth of nations: the social capital of citizens, businesses and non-profits to contribute to the criminal justice mission.
Criminal justice is a complex system. Its myriad of players and often conflicting incentives can make it a difficult environment for any reform. But as recent events have uncovered underlying issues that need to be resolved, they have also illuminated the great strength and resilience of that ecosystem. Courts, police, community agents, and others in the justice system have adapted quickly to changes ranging from virtual hearings to new rules for parole. Progress from this point requires more than just individual innovation, it requires coordinated action across the whole criminal justice system. A whole system approach demands strong, engaged leadership at every level. But by harnessing the approaches highlighted in this article, we believe it is possible to improve not just pockets of criminal justice, but the entire system. With a concerted effort, the future of criminal justice can be more effective and equitable than it has ever been. Such a whole-system approach can be difficult and demands strong, engaged leadership at every level. Yet, with that and the other factors we have identified in this article, progress is possible to improve not just pockets of criminal justice, but the whole system. The future of criminal justice can be more effective and more equitable than it has ever been.
A full link to Deloitte's report can be found here.
Authors
Karen von Monsjou
Tom Gash
Sjoerd Van der Smissen
