Greenham to take justice into its own hands

The restorative justice system, run by West Berkshire’s safer community partnership and Sovereign Housing, will bring together groups of individuals to form neighbourhood justice panels as a community court.
It will allow all parties involved to have their voice heard, including friends and relatives of both the victim and the offender.
The scheme aims to increase remorse in offenders, help them to understand the impact of their actions and prevent them from committing similar crimes in the future.
The neighbourhood justice panels will oversee the meeting and ensure a safe and fair environment is maintained throughout. It may also advise on appropriate resolutions.
Ministry of Justice consultants Restorative Solutions, who promote the use of innovative approaches to crime reduction,chose Greenham as a test area.
Free training will be provided to 40 volunteers throughout October and November, and 10 will receive further training, allowing them to recruit further volunteers and extend the service to other areas of West Berkshire.
It is not a replacement for the courts process, and individuals may find themselves facing both magistrates and neighbourhood justice panels for lower-level crimes such as criminal damage and anti-social behaviour.
Neither offenders nor victims will be forced to take part.
The neighbourhood justice panel will work in conjunction with authorities including the police, magistrates, a youth offending team and Sovereign housing association, who will form a steering group. They will refer cases to the panel.
Greater Greenham project co-ordinator for Sovereign, Marcus Franks, said: “This is a chance for the residents of Greenham 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 monority who carry out the harm.”
West Berkshire Council’s crime reduction manager, Rachel Craggs, said the neighbourhood justice panel should encourage “an apology and some way of repairing the harm, for example, repairing a fence.”
Plans for similar neighbourhood justice systems were outlined in a White Paper published by police minister Nick Herbert earlier this month, which will see 15 test areas in England financed by the government.
Greenham’s neighbourhood justice panel is running entirely seperately from this.
Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact Ms Craggs on (01635) 264617 or rcraggs@westberks.gov.uk