Aims and Objectives
The overarching aim of the ECJB is to reduce crime and prevent re-offending. We intend to meet this aim by ensuring that the Criminal Justice System in Essex:
- is more effective in bringing offences to justice
- engages the public and inspires confidence
- puts the needs of victims and witnesses at its heart
- has simple and efficient processes
- tackles youth justice effectively
Full details of our aims and objectives are set out in our Strategic Plan 2008-11.
Reduce Crime and Prevent Re-offending
Essex is one of the safest counties in the country and we want to ensure that continues to be the case. We are committed to working closely with our partners to ensure that we deliver efficient and effective services to the public. A robust criminal justice system is a crucial factor in reducing future crime levels and increasing public confidence.
Bring Offences to Justice
The fundamental test of any justice system is its effectiveness in bringing offences to justice. Essex has a record of good performance and has consistently exceeded Government targets in this area. We now want to continue this trend focusing our efforts on the most serious offences and persistent offenders.
Public Confidence
Essex has a low crime rate and a record of good performance yet a significant proportion of the public still do not have confidence in the criminal justice system. Members of the public are our key partners and by working together we can make our communities even safer. We want communities in Essex to be better informed about the performance and achievements of the criminal justice system in Essex so that they can have confidence that it is fair, effective and meets local needs.
To look behind the scenes of the criminal justice system visit our Inside Justice pages.
Victims and Witnesses
By delivering an effective justice system we have helped to reduce crime and therefore reduce the number of victims of crime. Over recent years we have made significant improvements to the services we provide to victims and witnesses and we continue to be committed to improving these services even further.
Simple and Efficient Processes
Reducing delays and delivering an efficient system will be the basis for improving all other aspects of the criminal justice system. Increasing efficiency will help to improve the experience of all those involved in the system as people see cases dealt with in a speedier and more streamlined way.
Youth Justice
We know that youth crime can cause considerable anxiety amongst the community and we are committed to tackling this. Our aim is to create a youth justice system that works for the public, punishes the guilty and keeps as many young people on the straight and narrow as possible.