Criminal Justice On The Agenda At Schools
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS ON THE AGENDA AT SCHOOL IN 2007
A focus on increasing the understanding of the Criminal Justice System and instilling confidence in young people was the primary aim of a meeting between the Wiltshire Citizenship Forum, a network of secondary school teachers, and agencies from the Wiltshire Criminal Justice Board.
The event provided an opportunity to launch a new DVD compiled by the WCJB, which had a profound effect on those in attendance. The DVD is aimed at informing young viewers of the process of going to court as a victim or witness in a criminal investigation and to educate viewers of the support and assistance that is available to people in these situations, which can be harrowing for people, especially those of school age.
Graham Paton, Advisor for PSHE and Citizenship said “Teachers will certainly welcome this attractive and well presented resource as something that will have real value for young people. Any young person may find themselves in court, whether as witness, victim or defendant, and they will be both enlightened and reassured by the insight the DVD gives into an unfamiliar and potentially intimidating world.”
The meeting was arranged by Kim O’Neill, Area Business manager for CPS Wiltshire and Graham Paton, Advisor for PSHE and Citizenship, to increase an understanding of CPS and furthermore the Wiltshire Criminal Justice Board in schools as part of the Citizenship program curriculum.
Ms O’Neill said, “This is an exciting opportunity for CPS Wiltshire working closely with the Local Criminal Justice Board and local teachers to improve public confidence by raising awareness of the work of the CJS agencies with pupils in local schools.”
“Citizenship teachers are constantly seeking ways to bring their students into direct contact with the realities of life in the community. The teachers present today were delighted with this opportunity to develop an active partnership with a range of agencies, and to enlist their support in raising pupils’ awareness and enhancing their understanding of the Criminal Justice System and how it may impinge on their lives.”
Other speakers for the day included:
Sue Leffers, Wiltshire Police Criminal Justice Manager, who informed the group on the Witness Care Unit, who care for Victims and Witnesses and support them in the process of preparing for court;
Steven Taylor, Community Engagement Officer for the Wiltshire Criminal Justice Board, who explained the role of the Board and how different techniques could be used in presentations to engage the interest of students of different age groups;
Alistair McKenzie, Youth Offending Service Educational Welfare Officer who spoke on opportunities of informing young people of the processes and prevention of Youth Offending and;
Simon Garrett, Wiltshire Police Community Support Officer, who informed the group of the role of the Police within the community and the opportunities for members of the Neighbourhood Watch to participate in classroom discussion.
The meeting proved to be a positive step on further enhancing the relationship between schools in the Wiltshire area and the Wiltshire Criminal Justice Board and its agencies. The WCJB look forward to further education strategies and awareness campaigns being implemented throughout many schools in Wiltshire in 2007.
