Lord Chancellor launches pilot magistrates' scheme

In conjunction with "Operation Black Vote", the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, today announced a pilot shadowing scheme to enable people from ethnic minorities to assess for themselves how the magistrates' court system works.

Lord Chancellor (centre) with shadowers: From left: Lulu Ng'wanakilala (Bristol), Edwin Campbell (Bham), Simon Woolley (OBV) Hale Longpet (Bristol), Mohammed Shafique, (Bham) Lee Jasper (OBV), Sayed Haque (Bristol) and Anna Yim (Bham)

More than 95% of criminal cases in England and Wales begin and end in the magistrates' courts.

Over the next six months, in an effort to raise awareness of magistrate court processes, these specially selected "community ambassadors" will spend a minimum of 10 days sitting with mentor magistrates on a broad range of cases and observing what they do.

They will also accompany their mentor magistrates when they speak to community groups as part of the 'Magistrates in the Community' project run by the Magistrates Association.

Some time will be spent observing the administrative process of bringing cases to trial. They will also attend two training days, held in London, where the participants will be able to put into context all that they have seen.

The pilots launched today are in Bristol and Birmingham. Five more pilot schemes will be launched in the early autumn in Bradford, Cardiff, Inner London, Middlesex and Oldham.

For each area 6-8 people will be chosen by Operation Black Vote with help from members of the local Lord Chancellor's advisory committee - at least 50% will be women and the aim is to include a balanced mix from African, Asian, Caribbean, Chinese and other ethnic minority communities.

"This initiative will send a clear statement that the magistracy must be an microcosm of the whole of the community it serves.

"As well as improving confidence in the criminal justice system I want to encourage more people from ethnic minority communities to put themselves forward for appointment as lay magistrates. Operation Black Vote shares this aim and it is excellent community service that we have together been able to put in place this pilot scheme."

The Lord Chancellor stressed this was not a training scheme for prospective magistrates.

Rather, he said, "it is an opportunity for the participants to go out into their communities as ambassadors to tell the community how the magistrates' court system really works.

"In time, I am sure, some of them may wish to put themselves forward for appointment, but this scheme is certainly not a training scheme in how to pass an interview to become a magistrate.

"Participants are not intended to gain an advantage in the appointments process, but rather an insight into the working of the magistrates' court so that they can be effective ambassadors in their own communities. That is why those participating will not be able to apply for appointment for three months after the shadowing ends."

Notes for Editors:

Operation Black Vote

OBV is convinced that a shadowing/mentoring scheme with magistrates will be as successful as its MP shadowing scheme has been for the UK's African, Asian, Caribbean and other ethnic minorities.

The scheme will give first hand experience of how a magistrate court operates and what a magistrate actually does. We wish those involved to become community ambassadors, explaining and promoting the role of magistrates and the courts in which they work.

It is also aimed at giving magistrates the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of Black communities.

The 'Justice in Action' report has recommended that in a post-Stephen Lawrence environment, the magistracy should demonstrate 'an open inclusive and participative culture which values diversity and to eliminate institutional barriers both formal and informal to employment and selection ..… To promote mentoring and other support mechanisms.'