Magistrates in the Mall?
Throughout the news we have heard stories of spending cuts and the like with regard to our public sector and in particular the justice system. But it seems that the Magistrates Association is now appealing to the Ministry of Justice to erect courts in any unused shop or council space in order to give “summary justice that is as speedy and local as possible.”
It is estimated that the government wishes to close more than 100 magistrates courts in order to save money. The alternative would to send offenders to the larger courts that are few and far between.
This is of great concern to the Magistrates Association. The facts that there are few courts, might mean that offenders are having to travel long distances to court, and might not even show up for this reason. That mean that the number of ‘no-shows’ is likely to increase and this in turn means more court costs.
"Petty offenders commit crimes that should be dealt with as quickly as possible and as locally as possible," said John Howson, the association's deputy chairman.
"Justice should not be hidden away and people should be able to see it in operation. We could have a court in the Westfield shopping centre [a major shopping centre in west London] for instance, so that instead of a shoplifter being taken to a police station and it taking hours to build a file, even if they are going to plead guilty, they could be dealt with far more quickly."
A duty solicitor could be on call just as is set up in a police station. There would be the obvious benefit of deterrence, as other potential shoplifters will actually witness swift justice being given.
"We have moved away from the days of courts being about shock and awe," Howson said. "If other people can see justice being done it may deter others."
There are currently nearly 29,000 men and women who are magistrates, dealing with 95% of criminal cases that are brought before the courts as well as the odd civil dispute.
The Ministry of Justice has not officially responded to the proposals, but it does remain clear that there is serious discussion about some magistrate courts closing.
"The government is committed to supporting local justice, and is determined to reassess the courts system to ensure it properly meets the needs of today's communities," a spokesman for the ministry said last night.
"No decisions have been made on court closures and all responses to the consultation will be considered before decisions are made. We welcome the views of the Magistrate's Association and look forward to receiving them."
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