Inside Justice Week 2007
The fourth Inside Justice week in Staffordshire has been the best ever with nearly three thousand people attending 17 events across nine different venues, providing a unique glimpse into the Criminal Justice System across the county.
Members of the public were invited to go behind the scenes of the local criminal justice agencies which included Courts Service, Police Service and the Prison Service, whilst criminal justice agency exhibitors included the Crown Prosecution Service, Probation Service and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Youth Offending Services.
Partner organisations also exhibited including the Crime & Disorder Reduction and Domestic Abuse Partnership from local councils, the Camera Safety Partnership, the Education Service, the Electronic Tagging organisation SERCO, Fire Service, Health Service, Housing Associations, the Legal Services Commission, the Magistrates’ Association, the prisoner transportation organisation Reliance, Victim Support and the Witness Service. With a coordinated programme of events the aim was to reach the general public to increase their knowledge and confidence in the criminal justice system. However there were three groups of people who the campaign was particularly targeted at:
Older people (aged 55 - 75)
- Older people are more likely to be fearful of crime, despite being at lower risk than other age groups of becoming a victim of crime. They are also more likely to volunteer.
- Inside Justice Week aims to reassure older people about their risk of being a victim of crime and suggest ways in which they could get involved in the justice system as a volunteer.
Women (aged 35 - 54)
- Women are more likely to be victims of crime than men and they play an influential and supportive role within the family.
- Inside Justice Week can be used to offer crime prevention advice and information on career and volunteering opportunities.
Black and minority ethnic (BME) communities
- Black and minority ethnic groups actually have higher confidence in the justice system than other groups. However they are much less likely to think that it treats people fairly
- Inside Justice Week will highlight job and volunteer opportunities in the justice system and profile people from BME groups already working in the CJS. It will also underline the work being done to tackle racist crime and to ensure that the CJS treats all people fairly and sensitively
Many who come into contact with the CJS do so unwillingly, for example, as a victim of crime. Opening up the system with events such as police open days and mock trials in courts, can help people to understand its inner workings showing how agencies and volunteers within it work together to make the system better. The aim of this year’s Inside Justice Week was to:
- increase people’s knowledge and understanding of the Criminal Justice System encourage people to get involved by publicising the range of career and volunteering opportunities available in the Criminal Justice System.
- inform people about the support available should they come into contact with the justice system, either as a victim or witness.
The week kicked off on Saturday 3 November with Operation Impact in at Doxey Primary School in Stafford where agencies, partners and authorities worked together to make a cleaner, safer and greener place.
Stoke on Trent Crown Court held four invitation evenings with guests from the business sector attending a behind the scenes tour of courtrooms and cells with a special evening devoted to the Brownies and their Mums and friends.
The prison service hosted an educational tour at Swinfen Hall Prison, Lichfield, for specially invited staff from the criminal justice agencies to find out more about the various rehabilitation intervention programmes.
The Magistrates’ Association and Probation Service delivered two local Crime Community Sentencing events in the north and south of the county enabling communities to take part in mock trials to find out how trials happen in real life and how sentencing works.
Stafford Crown Court held four invitation evenings with over 50 guests per night from the elder communities attending a behind the scenes tour of courtrooms, cells and exhibition stands followed by a question and answer session with the Resident Judge, His Honour Judge Tonking.
An event was held at Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College reaching 1500 students during an exhibition and careers fair involving the Camera Safety Partnership, Local Criminal Justice Board, Prison Service and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Youth Offending Services.
A briefing event was held at Police Headquarters in Stafford where members of the public a to tour the building before finding out more about subjects such as electronic tagging, domestic violence and the steps being taken to deal with violent, persistent and prolific offenders.
The week closed with an Open Day at the Magistrates Court in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent for the general public on Saturday 10 November. The event involved a tour of court buildings including cells, court rooms, camera safety, electronic tagging, police, drug dogs and police vehicle, prisoners transportation. Visitors were also able to see the local crime & disorder reduction partnership, home fire & security safety, victims & witnesses support services and get advice on careers within the Criminal Justice System. Domestic Violence and Drink/Drive mock courts ran throughout the day involving real Magistrates, Prosecutors and Defence Solicitors whilst other criminal justice agency staff played the role of defendants and jurors including the Chief Officer of the National Probation Service for Staffordshire, Rob Mandley.
Chris Sims, Chair of Staffordshire Criminal Justice Board said: “Justice matters to everyone and the way our agencies work together is all about seeing justice done. The Criminal Justice System must have the confidence of the law-abiding majority, this is why Inside Justice Week is so important. It is a chance for the public in Staffordshire, who may have never come into contact with the justice system, to look behind the scenes, ask questions and find out more.”
Feedback confirms that the events have improved people’s confidence in the Criminal Justice System, with a visitor taking the time to send a two-page letter of appreciation after attending the Police Headquarters event.
For further information on Staffordshire Inside Justice Week events contact Martine Redpath 01785 235129 or email: martine.redpath@staffordshire.pnn.police.uk
