U.K. — A report released on Thursday found that the Criminal Cases Review Commission has a gap in proactive, effective casework quality assurance that must be addressed urgently. Anthony Rogers, the chief inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service, conducted an independent inspection of the commission's casework.

The inspection included an examination of a sample of 60 cases. Rogers' inspection led to 34 recommendations aimed at addressing weaknesses, delays, and inefficiencies within the commission.

Rogers said, "There have been a number of very high-profile failures, which have led to a lot of criticism, but generally I think the CCRC, and in the cases we looked at, got the decision right eventually, and it's the 'eventually' word that we are concerned about." He added, "I do think there are cultural issues in the organisation. Overall our judgment is they are not a failing organisation. There are quite a lot of things they need to do but ultimately they are fit for purpose."

The commission had previously rejected Andrew Malkinson's case two times. Malkinson served 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, and his legal team conducted DNA testing that ultimately led to his release. The commission later repeated the DNA testing that Malkinson's legal team carried out. A review concluded that Malkinson could have gained his release a decade earlier if the commission had obtained new DNA evidence in 2009. The chief executive and chair of the commission resigned following the Malkinson case, and Dame Vera Baird was appointed as interim chair.

The commission is currently managing 102 cases that have been ongoing for an extended period. It received 1,841 applications in the 2025-26 period.