100. Mental Health in the UK Justice System: In Conversation with Barrister Kate Kelleher and James Rossiter from the Criminal Bar Association (Part 1)

Send us Fan MailJustice feels distant until it isn’t. We open the doors to a courtroom few ever truly see, where trauma arrives with every case and formality—the wig, the gown, the ritual—exists to contain it. With barrister Kate Kelleher and Criminal Bar Association communications lead James Rossiter, we explore how lawyers hold the line between empathy and evidence while facing impossible timelines and rising complexity.Across candid stories and sharp analysis, we examine why language matters—why “victim” becomes “complainant” until a verdict—and what that means for fairness. We look at fitness-to-plead, the spillover from a strained mental health system, and the human toll of trials drifting into 2027 and even 2029. We also tackle prevention. School exclusions that push children to the streets, social media that rewards impulse, and the loss of everyday boundaries mean too many meet their first real limit in court. Amid that, barristers carry years of detail, reheated at each review, with little time to build trust with clients. Victim personal statements can validate pain but seldom change sentences, revealing the emotional and legal limits woven through modern justice. This conversation is clear-eyed, humane, and grounded in lived practice.Donate to The View hereCreditsGuest: Kate Kalleher & James RossiterProducer: Charlotte Janes & Nico RivosecchiSoundtrack: Particles (Revo Main Version) by [Coma-Media] Support the showFor more unmissable content from The View sign up here