Boost for Community Justice
04 January 2008
Communities in London and Wales will be given a greater say in how offenders in their area are dealt with, thanks to three new community courts which will open this month.
Court staff and magistrates in the Community Justice Courts in Methyr Tydfill and the London boroughs of Newham and Haringey will work with local residents and community groups to identify issues of concern, to tackle the root causes of crime and anti-social behaviour, and help to reduce reoffending.
The Community Justice Courts will benefit from a multi-agency approach, with strong links to the police, probation, youth offending teams and the Crown Prosecution Service. Important links will also be fostered with community services such as drug and alcohol counselling, housing, victim support, employment advice and community safety partnerships.
By working with the local community in this way it has been shown that the courts can improve knowledge and understanding of, and confidence in, the criminal justice system.
Community Justice Minister, Maria Eagle said:
'Community Justice Courts are an efficient and effective way of conducting court operations, increasing public confidence in the system, reducing crime and giving communities the power to influence decisions. They are invaluable in ensuring that the criminal justice system meets the diverse needs of our local communities.'
Notes to editors:
1. The first community justice court initiative was set up in Liverpool in September 2005
2. Ten other courts are successfully operating in North Liverpool, Salford, Birmingham, Bradford, Devon and Cornwall, Hull, Leicester, Middlesbrough, Nottingham and Wandsworth.
3. The former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer announced in November 2006 the planned expansion of the community justice programme to 11 mainstream magistrates' courts in addition to the two set up in Liverpool and Salford.
4. Evaluations were conducted by Ecotech of the Liverpool court and by Evidence Led Solutions of the Salford court. Their findings were published in October 2007. 79% of offenders surveyed indicated that problem-solving meetings had helped them to address their problems. 76% of them thought the support they received from the problem-solving meeting was better than previously received in a traditional court.