“I Predict A Riot”
The recent disturbances in London and other large cities have, once more, focussed the attention of civil society, politicians and the media on a “broken Britain” – often equated with urban decay and disaffected youths. The aftermath of the riots has included hundreds of defendants appearing before the courts, and prompted a new debate about whether magistrates and judges are adequately reflecting the concerns of society – with courts, on occasion, being criticised for being too soft, or too hard.
Agencia’s work in 2008-10 in the community justice court arena included an examination of how those courts could effectively reflect the views of local communities when conducting their own role as the local representatives of justice. Discussions at that time included the concept of the courts having regular liaison with the areas they served to discuss with those communities their concerns, and to provide feedback on how the courts were addressing those concerns.Over the coming months Agencia will look to draw on that experience to encourage a re-examination of the strengths and weaknesses of those courts, with a view to supporting any emerging initiatives as the government develops its strategies for what the French criminologist Sophie Body-Genrot refers to as the “social control of cities”.
Body-Genrot, Sophie (2000): The Social Control of Cities: A Comparative Perspective (Studies in Urban and Social Change) Blackwell,
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