How did the court backlog get so bad?

The courts backlog in England and Wales has reached over 79,600 criminal cases, with delays projected to hit 100,000 by 2028. The backlog's roots lie in funding cuts starting in 2010, exacerbated by the pandemic and other factors. The crisis has led to the government considering radical reforms, such as removing juries from some trials to expedite the process. Backlogs have cascading effects on all aspects of the legal system, impacting victims, defendants, witnesses, and prison populations.