The criminal justice system has made significant strides in clearing its backlog of serious cases, with over 580 indictable matters — including 67 murder cases — cleared in just an 18-month span, Attorney General Dale Marshall has revealed.Delivering the keynote address at The Barbados Police Service’s Annual Grand Conference on Monday, Marshall said the progress reflects a concerted effort by the government to strengthen the criminal justice system, increase prosecutorial capacity, and support the work of law enforcement.“In the 18-month period commencing January 2023 and ending with June last year, 584 indictable matters were disposed of — and that includes 67 murders,” he shared. “For the calendar year 2024, the criminal courts were able to dispose of 292 cases.”The attorney general credited the results to key institutional improvements, including the expansion of the criminal bench and prosecutorial staff.Since 2018, the number of judges handling criminal trials has grown from two to eight, while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has more than doubled its cadre of attorneys — from eight to 17 prosecutors.
