eBulletins
Second Edition
Welcome to the second edition of the Community Justice Centre, North Liverpool e-bulletin, keeping you up-to-date with our latest news and progress.
The Community Justice Centre is the first of its kind in England and Wales. It is a pilot project aimed at bringing justice closer to the community by tackling crimes and anti-social behaviour-type offences that effect the quality of life for members of the community. It houses a courtroom and the criminal justice agencies with a wide range of community services available to local people, victims and witnesses, as well as offenders.
National News
In November, Lord Falconer announced that building on the lessons learned from Liverpool and Salford, Community Justice will be rolled out across the country, starting with 10 new sites across England and Wales.
Inside Justice Week
As part of Inside Justice Week (18th - 25th November), the Centre opened its doors to local residents.
An open day took place on Saturday 18th November. Members of the community got involved in a wide range of events including a mock sentencing case and a mock restorative justice session. They also took the opportunity to tour the Centre's courtroom, find out about how fingerprinting works and meet the Centre's team. The feedback collected from this event was extremely positive.
Radio Merseyside
As part of Inside Justice Week, BBC Radio Merseyside broadcast an hour long 'Phillips Extra' show, on Community Justice live from the Centre's Courtroom. This involved interviews with the Judge, Centre staff, volunteers, a victim and her family, young offenders, local residents and partners who have benefited from our reparation work.
Lawyer Twinning
A project has been launched to twin the Centre's lawyers with law students from schools across North Liverpool.
Lawyers from the Centre's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) team and the Legal Advisor to the Court will work with pupils on a regular basis to share their experiences of the legal system and provide guidance and support, in school and at the Centre. The students will also take part in a work placement scheme, including a job-shadowing programme. Also members of the Centre's wider team, such as Probation Officers and the Youth Offending Team, will also get involved to share their experiences.
This is just one of a portfolio of projects underway designed to increase the community's awareness of the justice system.
Working in Partnership
As part of the Centre's partnership approached, it has teamed up with local Police Community Support Officers to deliver a drug and alcohol awareness package called 'R U Up to Speed with Drugs, Tobacco & Alcohol Class A?'
This will be targeted at young people across the North Liverpool area aged 13-17. As part of this training package the young people will visit the Centre, gaining first hand knowledge of how the criminal justice system works and what is likely to happen to them should they take the wrong path in life.
This will begin with a trial run in January 07.
CRASBO for local woman
A 44 year-old woman from the County area was found guilty of a section four public order offence. As part of this offence she threatened to petrol bomb her neighbour's house and to have her son's legs broken. The woman was given a criminal anti-social behaviour order (CRASBO) at the Centre's Court and has been banned from harassing and communicating with her neighbour. If she breaks this order she could face up to a maximum of five years in prison.
Sentencing success
A 43 year-old man with a long history of drug-related offending and numerous prison sentences received a Community Order with a 12-month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement, for a charge of three counts of theft from a shop and criminal damage of a police cell. Immediately after sentence he was escorted to a residential rehabilitation hostel. Since then Judge David Fletcher has brought him back to court on three occasions as part of new powers introduced last year, which enable him to review community sentences under Section 178 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. All of his reviews were positive, he has remained drug-free, and he has not re-offended. He has now decided to help others who find themselves in a similar position, and has re-trained as a volunteer to enable himself to achieve this.
Throughout this process he has been very appreciative to the Judge for the chance he gave him.
Back to school success
A woman appeared before the Centre's Education Court charged with failing to ensure her daughter's attendance at school, over a period of time up to July 06. After a full assessment by Barnardo's parenting team she was sentenced to a Conditional Discharge with an understanding that she would attend parenting classes.
She has completed a one-to-one parenting session and is about to commence an evening group session. She is co-operating fully with Barnardo's and her daughter is now back in school full time, after almost a year of sporadic attendance.
For more information about the Community Justice Centre's services, call 0151 298 3600
Listening to the Community
A member of the local community reported to the Centre that an empty, unsecured property was subject to arson attacks by youths. They were also letting down tyres on cars. The community team informed Liverpool City Council which secured the property and reported the problem to the local Anti Social Behaviour team. The resident told the team he was delighted with the quick response.
A listener contacted the Roger Phillips phone-in show to report graffiti on a wall of a pub in Netherfield Road. Following this the Centre's Community Team contacted Liverpool City Council who promptly had the graffiti removed.
A concerned member of the community reported fly tipping in Northumberland Terrace to the Centre team, which ensured the rubbish was removed.
A man from Cubbins Crescent had trouble with neighbours over a barking dog. The Centre team assisted by reporting the issue to the dog wardens who made several visits and consequently solved the dispute.
A local resident contacted the Centre, concerned about vandalism of an empty house in Latimer Street. The Centre reported this to Liverpool City Council, which secured the property. There was also rubbish left at the property, and the Centre's Probation team arranged for offenders to clear the rubbish away.
A resident of Smith Place reported youths entering empty flats. She said she had seen lights on and fires being lit. The team reported this to Liverpool City Council, which sent out a neighbourhood officer and had the flats secured to help improve the quality of life in North Liverpool.
We are very keen to receive feedback and any comments regarding the contents of this e-bulletin. Please mail Clare Horton
clare.horton@hmcourts-service.gsi.gov.uk