Members sought for scrutiny panel

The Devon and Cornwall Criminal Justice Board is looking for people from black or minority ethnic communities to become part of a scrutiny panel.

Panel members review randomly selected racially or religiously aggravated crime case files.

They will also work with the Justice Board and a monitoring group in order to look at ways of improving the service for victims and witnesses.

Informal interviews with prospective panel members will be held in October.

The scrutiny panel will be overseen by the Monitoring Group, a charitable organisation providing assistance and support to victims of racial harassment and violence.

Elliot Perkins from the Monitoring Group said: "The panellists' input will enable a critical appraisal of services provided to victims of racist and religious hate crime by criminal justice agencies.

"Direct input from target communities is paramount in keeping the combating of hate crime and delivery of racial justice high on the local and national agenda."