LONDON — The criminal justice systems in Britain and Japan have flaws, but there are worse systems.
The British criminal justice system is based on common law. Despite attempts by governments over the years to undermine the basic rights of British citizens the judicial system is generally fair and justice is largely administered without fear or favor. Current issues arise from the threats from international terrorism, from the growth in gun and knife crime, and from anti-social behavior resulting from misuse of drugs and alcohol, lack of parental discipline and gang culture.
The threat from international terrorism has increased since the beginning of the Iraq war. The response of the government under pressure from the police and the security services has been to introduce Draconian measures to curb the activities of potential terrorists and to increase surveillance. Some of the measures taken have probably been unavoidable, but it sometimes seems that the government's response does not take account of the danger that in undermining individual liberties they may be playing into the hands of the terrorists.