Community courts 'second class'

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Ten areas of England and Wales will get a "second-class version" of the government's new Community Justice Courts, a solicitor has said.

Andrew Keogh told Radio 4's Law in Action that a lack of funding would severely hamper their powers.

Community Justice Courts are meant to listen to local people's concerns and reduce offending by treating the root causes of crime, like drug addiction.

But Mr Keogh says many areas will only be given provision "on the cheap".

'Shining example'

More than £5m was spent setting up the first community justice court in north Liverpool.

It has its own special building, a dedicated judge and representatives from key agencies like probation and the police based on site.

The judge talks to local people about problems in their area and makes community orders which can involve unpaid work suggested by them.

The government has held Liverpool up as a shining example, but instead of repeating the format around the UK, Mr Keogh says it will instead roll out a much-reduced scheme to 10 other areas.

A second, smaller pilot in Salford has been set up within the existing magistrates' court at a cost of just £100,000 for the first year.

It is this scaled-down model which the solicitor says will now be copied in Nottingham, Bradford, Middlesbrough, Hull, Leicestershire, Birmingham, Devon and Cornwall, Merthyr Tydfil and two areas of London.

The critical things are the magistrates keeping an eye on what happens to defendants after they are sentenced and connecting with the community Lord Falconer, Lord Chancellor

Mr Keogh, whose practice is based in Manchester, says these areas "are going to be getting a second-class version of a community justice court.

"It's a community justice court in name and it's on the cheap."

But the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, insists the smaller court is working in Salford.

"The critical things are the magistrates keeping an eye on what happens to defendants after they are sentenced, the agencies working together and connecting with the community," he said.

'Underfunded'

The Salford Community Justice Initiative sits just one day a week.

There is no dedicated judge and no room for other agencies to be housed on site.

Its yearly budget is £150,000, compared to Liverpool's £1.8m.

Mr Keogh describes the Salford court as "press release justice" because of the vast difference in resources.

The government has set aside just £1m to set up all 10 new projects.

Community justice courts have the power to order offenders to return to report on their progress after sentencing.

But 16% of defendants fail to appear - three times as many as the national average for magistrates' courts.

Law in Action broadcasts a special programme about community justice on Radio 4 at 1600 GMT on Tuesday

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