There is an old saying, justice delayed is justice denied. Recent high-profile cases relating to public disorder have shown exactly what can be achieved when there is the will, with thugs who kicked, spat and threw rocks at police officers and damaged public property charged, tried and sentenced within days of their offences.

Sadly though, delays in the process are all too frequent.

There are numerous opportunities for delay in the criminal justice system, which is not really a system but a series of separate agencies who must work well together.

The system is overseen in the Devon and Cornwall by a local criminal justice board (LCJB) which I chair. Working in partnership we aim to improve the experience of the victims of and witnesses to crime. Each agency has a part to play, and it starts with the police.

Police officers must do their work efficiently and effectively, so files submitted to prosecutors are accurate and compiled in a timely manner. My accountability and scrutiny team are currently examining Devon & Cornwall Police’s performance in this area, and a lot of work is going on to ensure officers understand what is expected of them. Over the years my office has invested in forensic services to reduce the wait for valuable digital and physical evidence.

The Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS’s) duty is to make sure that the right person is prosecuted for the right offence, to decide appropriate charges, and to prepare cases and present them to court.

The courts must then allocate appropriate time and resources to try cases, and the probation service works with offenders to reduce reoffending and supplies pre-sentence reports to advise the court on the level of risk the perpetrator poses to the community.

Unfortunately the Crown Courts system - which deals with more serious offences - has been beset by backlogs for a considerable time now, with victims of some very unpleasant crimes waiting too long for justice. As of January there were 3,355 rape cases awaiting trial in England and Wales. Almost two thirds (59%) of adult rape investigations had to be ended due to victims withdrawing, according to the Ministry of Justice.

As my office funds services for victims of crime I am very concerned about these delays, and the impact on the wellbeing of those waiting for trial, and I know my partners in policing, courts and probation are working hard to tackle the issues that have combined to cause these problems.

A new national survey, launched by the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales, is seeking to understand the impact of court waiting times. The survey is open to any victim in England and Wales whose case resulted in a charge by the CPS.

The survey is anonymous, only takes about five minutes to complete. And is open until September 12. Results are broken down by region so they will help me and the other partners in criminal justice to understand the victim’s experience.

My vision for Devon and Cornwall is to create safe, resilient and connected communities in which everyone has a part to play, so if you have been a victim of crime in which a charge was brought I would urge you to have your say. The survey can be found online at https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/victims-urged-to-share-experiences-of-court-delays-in-new-survey/