PUBLIC confidence in the criminal justice system in Cumbria has risen to 50 per cent putting it second in the country, according to new statistics published by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform.

Confidence in the way the Cumbria criminal justice system works on issues such as reducing crime, bringing offences before the court and handling young people accused of crime has risen by two per cent since March 2003.

The increase is one of a number of successes taken from the quarterly performance figures for local criminal justice boards set against Government targets.

Chairman of the Cumbria Criminal Justice Board's planning and performance group Simon Evans said he was delighted with the success, which would act as a foundation for further improvements.

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