Criminals could be dealt with in days or hours under plans to introduce "swift and sure justice" and flexible court hours, ministers are to reveal.
Police Minister Nick Herbert will publish a White Paper proposing more court video links and tougher community sentences in England and Wales.
Neighbourhood justice panels will see local people decide how offenders should make amends for low level crime.
But solicitor Greg Foxsmith said: " Justice rushed is justice denied."
'No need for delay'
Mr Herbert denied it was "gesture politics" and told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The whole point of these reforms to ensure swift and sure justice is about putting the victims first. There is no need for unnecessary delay in our criminal justice system.
"It is in the interest of justice that people are dealt with appropriately and, where they are going to court, that they are brought to court as soon as possible and that is not happening at the moment."
In the aftermath of last year's riots, courts across England opened for longer and on weekends to deal with the large volume of people going through the criminal justice system.
Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan said: "The public, victims, even defendants themselves are right to expect that those accused of crimes are dealt with quickly and efficiently. But while more evening and weekend sittings, and more justice handed down at the community level, sounds practical, it won't come cheaply. I hope the government are going to explain exactly how this is going to be funded."
He added: "It's really puzzling to be told by this government that we need to be closer to the community when dealing with cases when they've presided over the biggest closure of our courts in recent times."
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In October, Prime Minister David Cameron said the public wanted to see speedy justice, and that if it was possible in the wake of the riots then "let's make sure we do it all the time".
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