Press

As people who believe that our justice system should tackle the root causes of crime and social harm, we urge the new lord chancellor to pilot and support new specialist “problem-solving” courts. Her predecessor pledged to trial a range of such courts, including specialist courts for female offenders, but the momentum appears to have slowed.

Ministers face mounting pressure today to proceed with American-style problem-solving courts in which judges play an active role in sending offenders for treatment.

Ten new US-style problem-solving courts – aimed at reducing reoffending – should be established across England and Wales as soon as possible, a legal charity has recommended.

The initiative, which involves judges regularly reviewing whether those already convicted are turning around their lives, was championed by the last justice secretary, Michael Gove, but is in danger of losing momentum, according to the Centre for Justice Innovation.

A paper, Problem-solving courts: a delivery plan, estimates that trialling three existing and seven new courts in the criminal system between 2017 and 2020 would cost £2.6m. The Ministry of Justice’s current ambition, set out last month in its £1bn transforming justice programme is only to ‘continue to explore’ the use of problem-solving courts.

Liz Truss, the first female lord chancellor, has been sworn into office amid a row over allegedly misogynistic comments questioning her suitability.

Specialist ‘problem-solving’ courts could be piloted in England and Wales, the government has confirmed – prompting scepticism among solicitors who say past experience suggests the project is doomed to fail.

American-style problem-solving courts will be established in Britain in a drive to keep female offenders who are pregnant or have babies out of prison.

Ministers have given the go-ahead for New-York-style problem-solving courts in which judges review the progress of convicted offenders after sentence with the aim of keeping them out of prison.

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed a pilot roll-out of New York-style specialist courts designed to keep offenders out of prison by addressing the root causes of crime.

Solicitors and magistrates have praised a London advice service which helped more than 600 people in its first year. Community Advice was set up at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in January last year by the North London Local Justice Area, with support from the Centre for Justice Innovation.