Board History & Role
BRIEF HISTORY
The criminal justice system is the series of procedures and processes that are involved in properly dealing with actual or potential criminal activity. These processes range from crime prevention through arrest, prosecution, trial, punishment, rehabilitation and support for victims and witnesses. For the system to be as effective as possible, it is crucial that all the separate component agencies are working harmoniously and share the same basic objectives.
Although closer co-operation between the various agencies responsible for the criminal justice system has been evident for a number of years, the government formalised partnership working in April 2003 by setting up 42 Local Criminal Justice Boards. There are Boards across the whole of England and Wales and they are geographically aligned on the basis of police force areas. Local Boards are partnerships and do not have their own legal status and are not statutory bodies. Their function and performance is overseen by the National Criminal Justice Board, which itself is made up of ministerial and other senior representatives of various central government departments and connected agencies.
Very recently, the Ministry of Justice was formed, which supersedes the Department for Constitutional Affairs and has also taken over some of the functions previously overseen by the Home Office. These include probation, prisons and prevention of re-offending. These changes will not have a material impact on joint working arrangements at local level.
THE BOARD’S ROLE
In essence, the Board is responsible locally for delivering the government’s criminal justice strategy. Currently, this responsibility is based upon the package of measures described in the Strategic Plan for Criminal Justice 2004-2008. Called ‘Cutting Crime, Delivering Justice’, this document incorporates five ‘Visions’ of criminal justice that are to be achieved by 2008 through a range of initiatives.
These five visions are:
- The public will have confidence that the criminal justice system is effective and that it serves all communities fairly
- Victims and witnesses will receive a consistent high standard of service from all criminal justice agencies
- We will bring more offences to justice through a more modern and efficient justice process
- Rigorous enforcement will revolutionise compliance with sentences and orders of the court
- Criminal justice will be a joined up, modern and well-run service, and an excellent place to work for people from all backgrounds
