South Yorkshire pilot to give communities a louder voice in criminal justice
29/04/2009
Crown Prosecution Service launches new Community Prosecutor approach
30 pilots across England and Wales have today been announced to pioneer new ways of giving people more say in how justice is delivered in their neighbourhoods, and encourage their participation in this vital process.
These pilots form part of the Engaging Communities in Criminal Justice Green Paper, published this morning, which proposes a range of measures to ensure a more effective criminal justice service that delivers for all and has the interests of communities at its heart.
The pilots will take forward a package of measures, both new and building on the success of existing schemes, to open up the criminal justice system to all. One such initiative is the Community Prosecutor approach which will enable the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to be more responsive to, and better understood by, local communities. It will see prosecutors building on current community engagement activity such as meeting members of the public at community centres and schools. It will be tested across England and Wales from June 2009, including in South Yorkshire
The Attorney General, Baroness Scotland QC, said:
"Prosecutors are increasingly engaged with the people they serve routinely engaging with victims and witnesses in person, and explaining decisions to communities and the wider public.
"The community prosecutor approach will enable the CPS to be more visible to, and better understood by, their local communities. Community prosecutors will enhance our ability to respond to local needs and circumstances, with local prosecution teams informed about matters of local concern, understanding the communities they serve and building strong links with people from surrounding neighbourhoods."
Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, said:
The Community Prosecutor approach is a major new initiative for the CPS, and it will bring together work which is already happening in many CPS Areas, together with new ideas about how modern prosecutors should engage with communities.
The Community Prosecutor approach will enhance the CPS ability to respond to local crime and disorder issues in [relevant area], with local prosecution teams listening to matters of local concern, understanding in greater depth the communities they serve and building stronger links with them.
