Community Justice Initiative
Nottingham's Community Justice Initiative started in May 2007 at Nottingham Magistrates' Courts. Community Justice aims to:
- Ask local people to say which criminal or anti-social activities most concern them.
- Help the courts and other criminal justice agencies to listen to the needs and concerns of the local community.
- Bring the criminal justice system and the community closer together.
- Break the cycle of offending and re- offending by using a problem solving approach.
Nottingham’s community justice initiative will kick start 2008 with a number of new activities to get the community involved. This includes the launch of a pioneering project for school pupils, the use of reports which give details of prevalent crimes, and plans to introduce a restorative justice approach that will increase victim involvement in the criminal justice process.
Mr Mark Swales, Area Director for Her Majesty’s Courts Service and member of Nottinghamshire Criminal Justice Board, says: “We have done a number of things which have contributed to the successful introduction of community justice in Nottingham. Achievements include an increase in public awareness of the initiative and heightened visible engagement with the community. As part of a renewed focus in 2008, we will continue to make effective connections with the community. In particular we are working with the Galleries of Justice to develop a schools project. By adopting an early intervention approach we aim to increase young people’s understanding of the role of the criminal justice system and deter them from committing criminal offences.”
Mr Swales continues: “To enhance the problem-solving approach of the courts we are also examining the most effective way of developing a restorative justice element as part of the initiative. Restorative justice aims to directly increase victim involvement in the criminal justice process, often by bringing the victim and offender together to discuss the effects of the crime. We will also ensure that the courts receive information on the impact to residents of reported crime and anti-social behaviour in Aspley and St Ann’s.”