Judge crime online
10 March 2010
Justice will be put straight into the hands of the public from today as they decide the fate of offenders, online.
The new interactive website, You Be the Judge, will give people the opportunity to pass their own sentence on a real life case. They will work through the mitigating and aggravating factors of a crime before deciding on the most appropriate punishment.
The purpose of the site is to help the public understand that sentencing is not just an arbitrary decision but a difficult and complex process based on many factors – which is exactly what a group of students discovered when they joined Justice Minister Claire Ward at a mock sentencing event at Hendon Magistrates Court today.
The law students were invited to play the part of judge and jury and decide an offender’s fate in a You Be the Judge event organised by the local court. They discovered that the justice system is fairer and can be tougher than many people believe after they gave the defendant a more lenient sentence than the courts did in reality.
The mock trial was one of many that have been taking place across the country in a move to inform the public exactly how sentencing decisions are made.
Justice Minister Claire Ward said:
'Safe and decent places to live are a priority for all of us, and we are constantly working to remove the impact and fear of crime.
'We believe that serious and dangerous criminals should be sent to prison, and remain there for as long as is necessary to protect the public. But it is also important to have measures in place that properly punish more minor crimes in the community, as well as provide rehabilitation to stop reoffending in its tracks.
'No two cases are the same and this can make the way criminals are punished a difficult process to understand, although it is a crucial issue in which we all have an interest.
'That’s why events like this one in Hendon and the new website are so important – to help people see how punishments are decided and to show the public how much thought goes into giving criminals a sentence they deserve.
'Judges and magistrates are independent and have the discretion to make decisions on what sentence to give criminals based on the circumstances and severity of each crime.'
Dr Malcolm Cohen, bench chair of Barnet Magistrates Court, said:
'Events like this help the public to understand some of the challenges courts face in ensuring they reach an appropriate sentence.
'Public confidence in what the courts do is immensely important. If people aren’t going to be locked up, the public have to believe that community sentences are appropriate. That confidence doesn’t come from somebody telling them, it comes from events like this.'
John Thornhill, Chairman of the Magistrates’ Association, said:
'The Magistrates’ Association welcomes every opportunity to engage with the public to show how complex the sentencing process is with the need to balance the seriousness of the offence, the impact on the victim, protection of the public and the circumstances of the offender in deciding on a proportionate sentence.
'The Magistrates’ Association is involved with three programmes in which the public are given an opportunity to be involved in the sentencing process – the Magistrates in Community Project, the Local Crime: Community Sentence Project and Mock Trials programme for schools.'
The chance of becoming a victim of crime is the lowest since records began more than 25 years ago and crime has fallen by nearly 40% since 1997.
Events such as You Be the Judge in Hendon and the new website, are designed to open the system up to communities and help them see, first-hand, that the punishment fits the crime.
Notes to editors:
- For more information, contact the Ministry of Justice on 0203 334 3540
- You Be The Judge website
- 30 students from Middlesex University and members of the local community took part in You Be the Judge at Hendon Magistrates' Court.
- Further details on the Magistrates’ Association community engagement programmes
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