Criminal justice reform promised
Policing and criminal justice minister has laid out plans for creating a system based on principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility.
An 鈥榓mbitious鈥� programme of reform was promised by Nick Herbert as he set out the new government鈥檚 approach to law and order in a .
Addressing the Policy Exchange, the policing and criminal justice minister said that the principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility which underpin the coalition government鈥檚 programme will guide the new approach.
Personal responsibility
鈥業ndividual and social responsibility,鈥� said Mr Herbert, is the 鈥榤ost important principle that we will apply鈥�. He said that the government will insist that offenders pay back to society and victims by working in the community and earning their release from prison.
This should be matched by a 鈥榬esurgence in community activism 鈥� encouraging communities to share responsibility for making their neighbourhoods safer鈥�. He pointed out that there had been a decline in participation over the years - in the 1950s, for example, there were nearly five times the number of special constables as today.聽
He promised an 鈥榚vidence-led approach鈥� to change in criminal justice policy, saying that a review of the toolkit for antisocial behaviour 鈥榳ill ensure that agencies have effective measures to tackle it鈥�.
Keeping costs down
However, he warned that reform must 鈥榖e married with the reality of the fiscal position鈥�. The criminal justice system, he said, will play its part in reducing spending by 拢17bn as laid out in this week鈥檚 budget. Reforms in legal aid, the court service estate and greater efficiencies聽made by聽police forces will help contribute.