The North Liverpool Community Justice Centre (CJC), the first of its kind in England and Wales, will open in early 2005.  Inspired by a similar project in New York, the CJC will feature:

• a single judge addressing many local crimes

• restitution for the victim and community

• increased community access to the court and to justice-related services in the community

• personal monitoring of the offenders' progress by the judge

The CJC will combine a magistrates’ court and Crown Court into a single local jurisdiction.  The goal is to deepen ties between the court and the community by establishing a recognized center for justice services.  The judge will hear every case dealing with low-level crimes and anti-social behaviour in the community.  These include “quality of life” issues affecting the neighborhood, such as:

• vandalism

• graffiti

• petty theft

• drunk and disorderly behaviour

Victims and community members will be consulted on suitable responses to offenses.  The judge is expected to maintain an ongoing close dialogue and relationship with the community on a variety of justice-related issues.   

David Fletcher, a former district judge in Sheffield, has been appointed to the new position.  In addition to hearing cases, Fletcher will be responsible for facilitating collaboration among the community and various criminal justice and social service agencies to address local concerns and priorities. He explains that he will lead  “a team who will help to tackle the root causes of crime by working to solve the problems that are causing people to offend, for the benefit of the whole community”.

The CJC will house:

• Merseyside Police

• Crown Prosecution Service

• Probation Service

• Youth Offending Teams

• drug rehabilitation programs

• debt counseling programs

• restorative justice programs

The judge will personally monitor offenders' progress in treatment programs and community-based sentences. The intent is to build accountability and encourage personal responsibility for change in the offender. 

Judge Fletcher says that one benefit of having all the services in one place is that it will reduce the time it takes for offenders to move the court processes.  If an offender is arrested and pleads “guilty”, he or she can complete the court process, access appropriate services and begin performing their sentence that day.  Usually it takes days or weeks to reach that point. 

CJC’s justice services and facilities will address non-criminal matters as well. Residents can confidentially report problems, and work with the CJC team and relevant agencies to find solutions to those problems. Meeting rooms at the CJC will also be made available for community functions. 

The CJC is situated in the Vauxhall neighborhood of Liverpool.  It is modeled on the Red Hook Community Justice Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, which British Home Secretary David Blunkett visited in 2003. 

The pilot program is a joint initiative of the Home Office, the Department for Constitutional Affairs, and the Attorney General’s Office.  It will continue at least through the end of 2006 and may lead to other community justice initiatives in England and Wales. 

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Resources used: 

Department for Constitutional Affairs: Judicial appointment competitions

“Yorkshire man is to be first US-style community judge”. Europe Intelligence Wire, 19 October 2004. (Yorkshire Post; Financial Times)

First justice centre judge named 

Community judge appointed

'Crime-buster' judge is named 

Judge named to take forward ground-breaking community justice centre

Center for Court Innovation: Red Hook Community Justice Center

Jonathan Morton
December 2004