Crime doesn’t pay

ON THE morning of January 6th many courts across England and Wales sat silent. For the first time in their history, barristers in effect went on strike, in protest at the government’s plans to slash legal aid. Following cuts introduced in April 2013, which are intended eventually to shave £320m ($525m) from the civil legal-aid bill, Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, wants to lop £220m off the criminal side.

Barristers insist that the government’s reforms, notably cuts of 17.5% to most of their fees, will wreck a profession already in crisis. For most practising criminal law, legal-aid work is far from lucrative. Fees have stagnated since the 1990s. Falling crime rates mean barristers are competing for less work. The cuts will hurt defendants too, barristers plead. Lower fees may force barristers to take on more work and cut corners. Miserly salaries could eventually deter bright young things from entering the criminal legal profession at all.