Lib Dems call for Community Justice Panels (Norwich Liberal Democrats Online)

Norwich Liberal Democrats Online <info@norwichlibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems call for Community Justice Panels

March 12, 2008 9:57 AM

Lets stop crime together Victims of crime in Norwich could soon have a greater influence over how low-level criminal activity and antisocial behaviour is tackled after the Liberal Democrats called for Norwich City Council to support the creation of Community Justice Panels.

These panels offer victims of crime and the wider community a real and visible way of resolving issues and incidents. When piloted elsewhere they have been proven to increase victim confidence in the Criminal Justice System.

Through these panels low-level offenders who admit their guilt are given the choice of avoiding a criminal record by going before a panel of local people, where they explain and make a symbolic apology to the community. The panel then agrees a course of reparation with the offender. If the reparation (e.g. removing graffiti or making repairs to communal structures) is successfully completed, the case is closed. If not the case goes to court in the normal way. If the offender does not consent to the programme of reparation, the case would also go back to court.

These panels empower victims of crime and the wider community and allow offenders to serve their debt to the victim and the community they have harmed without going to court. All panelists are trained in the practice of restorative justice and probation professionals help ensure that the panel's "orders" are proportionate to the offence.

Commenting on the initiative Lib Dem leader Councillor Hereward Cooke said "The setting up of Community Justice Panels is a way of enabling communities to achieve a reduced crime rate. Offenders appearing before a trained panel of local people will have a chance to apologise and renew their commitment to become good neighbours. This Liberal Democrat initiative in urging Norwich City Council to support the idea in principle and in practice will go some way to reducing crime and creating more responsible communities. It will support the present justice system but at a more local and personal level. It will also give some judicial teeth to the Safer Neighbourhood Panels."

The Lib Dems will move a motion at next week's council meeting calling on the council to work with partner organisations specifically the Local Criminal Justice Board, who in collaboration with the police are already working to create Community restorative Panels. The Lib Dems believe that the City Council should be working hard to ensure these panels are created.

This continues the work of Lib Dems in Norfolk to promote the use of "restorative justice methods". In November last year the Lib Dem group on Norfolk County Council passed a motion agreeing to investigate how restorative techniques could be used across more local council services.