Community courts to come to Newbury

Neighbourhood resolution panels, run by West Berkshire’s safer community partnership, will bring together groups of individuals to form a community court for low-level crimes such as anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and even neighbourhood disputes.
However, criminals will never face panel members from their own neighbourhood and unlike the court system, each panel will sit in private and the defendants will remain annoymous.
It is hoped that after offenders hear first-hand the impact of their criminal actions upon their victims, it will deter them from committing similar offences in future.
Neither victims nor criminals will be forced to take part, however crime reduction manager for West Berkshire Council, Rachel Craggs said she thought the process should benefit both parties
She said: “It gives the offender the chance to explain why they targeted that victim, which is often what the victim wants to know.”
Some individuals may be able to dodge the court system completely if they agree to take part in the neighbourhood resolution panels, however Mrs Craggs stressed that this will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and many individuals will find themselves facing both ‘courts’.
Forty volunteers are receiving free training throughout October and November, provided by Ministry of Justice consultants Restorative Solutions, to enable them to oversee panel meetings and ensure a fair and safe environment is maintained. They will also suggest suitable outcomes, from an apology to repairing damaged property or even compensation.
Cases will be referred to the panels by the police, magistrates, the West Berkshire Youth Offending Team and Sovereign Housing.
Originally Greenham was the designated pilot area, however this has been extended to all areas of Newbury south of the railway line to comply with a target of 50 panels per year set by Restorative Solutions.
Greater Greenham project co-ordinator for Sovereign, Marcus Franks, said: “This is a chance for residents to take an active part in agreeing the appropriate actions that offenders will carry out.
“The justice system will be more visible to the community, which should help to reduce incidents and give confidence that action is being taken against the minority who carry out the harm.”
However, criminals will never face panel members from their own neighbourhood and each panel is to sit in private.
Quarterly reports will be released through community newsletters detailing the outcomes of panels, however all participants will remain anonymous.
Plans for similar neighbourhood justice systems were outlined in a White Paper published by police minister Nick Herbert earlier this year. Newbury’s system is running entirely separately from this, funded by West Berkshire Council, the safer community partnership and the local taxpayer.