"Justice works badly. The sentences are soft, there is too much bureaucracy and, in addition, it is politicized. A reform is necessary." If you subscribe to that phrase, it is normal. They are the most frequent responses of the Spaniards collected in the last barometer of the CIS, released last Tuesday, July 30.

The image that the survey shows of the Spanish Justice is bad. 48% consider that it works "badly" or "very badly", a figure that doubles those who give it a good image, and also those who think it stays in the "regular". The latter join critics to shed a resounding 80% of Spaniards who consider a reform of the Administration of Justice "quite" or "very necessary."

The specific complaints of the Spaniards are these and in this order: soft penalties, politicization, a lot of bureaucracy, discriminatory treatment, corruption, outdated laws, slowness and lack of resources.

Regarding the need for reform, the judges completely agree. For that they have gone on strike twice. The spokeswoman for the Professional Association of the Magistracy -majority in the career and conservative profile- regrets that the parties always speak of a strategic plan "that never comes". "A comprehensive reform is needed. Not only to increase judges and staff, but to organize resources according to current reality," says María Jesús del Barco .

He does not see the current distribution of courts reasonable or that trials are held for theft of a few euros, circumstances that undermine the possibility of offering a good service. "But there is no political will."

"It has been so long without reform"

Also Raimundo Prado , spokesman of the Judicial Association Francisco de Vitoria - of moderate profile and second in representation - considers that Justice has been "the cinderella" of the reforms and considers "discouraging" that does not worry more. "It has been so long without reform that I am not surprised by the survey," says Ignacio Vega , of the progressive Judges and Judges for Democracy .

There are two answers that particularly hurt the judges. Asked by the Spaniards about the "trust" they inspire, 59% say "little" or "none" and only 34% say "enough" or "a lot." And its "degree of independence"? Well, "quite low" or "very low" for half, well above 29% who see it high. That impression has worsened over the years. The last time the CIS focused so much on Justice was in 2011. That year those who criticized their lack of independence added 10 points less.

Again the judges agree on their diagnosis. The culprits are two: the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ) and the lack of knowledge about Justice that many citizens have.

On the first, the associations consider that the politicization of the CGPJ "pollutes" and "disturbs" the opinion of the Spaniards on the totality of the judges, although its governing body only designates the highest positions of the judiciary.

"It is heard that the Council is the members of the Popular Party, members of the PSOE and that moves," says Vega. "A totum revolutum is made . The Council must be distinguished from the rest," Prado emphasizes.

"They misunderstand concepts"

The associations also blame their bad image on the poor knowledge of the judicial world that the average citizen has in their opinion. That is because, by its very essence, in a judicial dispute someone loses and is left with a bad image of the system. "People confuse the Supreme with the Constitutional, with the Court of Accounts ...", regrets Del Barco. The last two organs are not Judicial Power.

"People misunderstand concepts, and more young people. They have no idea what the General Council of the Judiciary is," says Prado, recalling that, according to the barometer, 47% of Spaniards do not know the existence of the governing body of the judges. Those who do know it support the mixed choice between the Courts and the judges. In practice, it is currently chosen by the Chambers.

It is up to the judges, according to the Constitution , to judge and enforce what is judged. The laws to be applied are established by the legislator, for which the CIS also has some answers. 60% of Spaniards believe that the sentences are "soft" for the most serious violent crimes. And even more (two out of three) ask that the "multi-recidivists" comply with the sentences "in full, without enjoying penitentiary benefits, as a measure of protection for society."

The last question on the matter wants to know if, according to the Spaniards, the laws are neutral or can be more left or right. Flatly (62%), the answer is that "some laws are progressive and others conservative."

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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  • CIS
  • General Council of the Judiciary
  • PSOE
  • PP
  • Justice
  • CIS Survey

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