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Lord Chief Justice Calls for Faster Trials and Fewer in Custody

 

Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice, addressed the Dorset Magistrates' Association's second annual ‘Town & Gown' event at Bournemouth University.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, has challenged magistrates in Dorset to support efforts to speed up the administration of criminal justice and to assist the process by finding alternatives to custody as a means of punishing offenders.

Speaking at the Dorset Magistrates' Association's second annual ‘Town & Gown' event, held in conjunction with the Bournemouth University Law School, Lord Phillips blamed the growing complexity of the judicial system for cases taking far too long to come to trial.

“I'm concerned about the length of time it is taking some cases to be heard,” Lord Phillips told an audience of magistrates, law students and members of the local legal community on the University's Talbot Campus. “In one county, the delay is up to 12 months due to ineffective trials where cases are not ready or as strong as they need to be and cracked trials where, after much time and effort is put into preparing a case, the defendant pleads guilty.”

In addition to promoting support for good case management, as well as taking a ‘get tough' approach to the growing number of adjournments to trials, Lord Phillips recommended that some offences be dealt with through the use of agreed or fixed penalties.

Britain's most senior judge then called for the tens of thousands of offenders sent to jail to, instead, be given tougher community sentences. “I'm strongly in favour of alternatives to custody,” Lord Phillips emphasised. “When sentencing those who are not serious professional criminals, the primary objective must be rehabilitation.”

Lord Phillips added that the UK had seen a significant rise over the last decade in the proportion of offenders sentenced to less than 12 months – from 31,719 in 1994 to 61,669 just two years ago. Community orders, he said, are more likely to prevent re-offending than a prison sentence, particularly for those facing short periods in custody. He also advocated the use of accredited programmes to support anger management, provide mental health treatment and tackle substance abuse to help offenders avoid the pitfalls of truancy, falling behind in school and illiteracy.

“When behaviour is addressed in the community, an offender is more likely not to offend again,” he encouraged. “You also get more back from the offender who undergoes a period of gruelling work than you do by paying for them to be incarcerated.”

A community sentence of up to 300 hours of unpaid work, he suggested, could involve the removal of graffiti or the clearing up of children's playgrounds,” Lord Phillips said “In Bristol, offenders helped in the restoration of Brunel's ship, the SS Great Britain.”

The visit by Lord Phillips to Bournemouth University was his first official engagement in Dorset since his appointment as Lord Chief Justice last year. With the implementation of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 in April of 2006, Lord Phillips now has leadership of the judiciary of England and Wales, responsibilities which formerly fell to the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer.

Lord Falconer himself was the speaker at the inaugural Town & Gown event in 2005, organised by the Dorset Magistrates' Association and the Bournemouth University Law School.

Dr Elizabeth Mytton, Head of Bournemouth Law School acknowledges the distinction of having the country's most senior judge address the University in conjunction with the Magistrates' Association. "Lord Phillips' presence was a great honour for Bournemouth Law School and marks a significant milestone for the University and its relationship with the Magistrates Association and the administration of justice community".

 

CONTACTS

Bournemouth University Press office:

press@bournemouth.ac.uk

Charles Elder; Tel: +44 (0) 1202 961032; Mob: (07768) 771870

Zoë Monk ; Tel: +44 (0) 1202 961033; Mob: (07738) 143100

 

News 1st June 2005

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