Will community justice cut crime?

BBC Radio 4's Law In Action Tuesday 20 February 1600 GMT On Radio 4 and online

On this week's Law in Action, presenter Clive Coleman is in North Liverpool and Salford to investigate the crime cutting potential of Britain's first new style community justice courts.

The Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer joins Clive in the studio to discuss his plans to expand the scheme to other parts of England and Wales.

Giving the community a say

Community justice centres, which give local people a say in punishments, are set to replace some of the work of traditional magistrates' and Crown courts in parts of England and Wales.

Based on the pioneering Red Hook centre in New York, the Community Justice Centres are meant to bring together offenders, court officials, local people, rehabilitation services and social support workers in one neighbourhood centre.

Interior of Liverpool Community Justice Centre

When it comes to sentencing, the emphasis is on tackling the root causes of offending, such as drug abuse, and on community punishments carried out in the area where the crime was committed.

In the North Liverpool CJC, the court is presided over by a single judge, David Fletcher, who can convene the court as a magistrates' or Crown court, depending on the severity of the offence.

Coming to a court near you?

It's too early to assess whether the pilot schemes in Liverpool and Salford have cut crime. However the Lord Chancellor has already decided to open more of these new style courts.

From April this year, community justice centres will be opening in Nottingham, Bradford, Middlesborough, Hull, Leicestershire, Birmingham, Devon and Cornwall, Merthyr Tydfil and London.