Information in, cases out At the core of the criminal justice process lies an emphasis upon the generation, processing and transmission of information and its networking across agencies. These features render the process remarkably appropriate for the utilisation of information and communications technologies (ICTs) (see Walker, C., “Criminal justice processes and the Internet” in Akdeniz, Y., Walker, C., and Wall, D., The Internet, Law and Society (Longman, Harlow, 2000)). In response, the policy line from the Department of Constitutional Affairs (formerly the Lord Chancellor’s Department) sounds very positive. As long ago as 1998, it pronounced that: ‘There can be no doubt that we are moving rapidly into the information age, into an era where a rich body of technologies will transform our lives, bringing changes as fundamental as the Industrial Revolution brought to society in the 18th century.’ (Consultation Paper: Resolving and Avoiding Disputes in the Information Age). Yet, in practice, the application of ICTs to the criminal courts within England and Wales has made relatively slow progress. The obstacles include not only entrenched professional cultures and financial hurdles, but also deeper misgivings about the negative impacts of ICTs such as “trial by media”.