Let's get it right: race and justice 2000 - Nacro

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Let’s get it rightresponsibility on the CPS, the courts, the legal professionsand the prison and probation services to work with localauthorities and community organisations to ensure justiceand fairness for all.The new Ministerial Priority that has been agreed for thepolice should be applied to the entire criminal justicesystem and its services to people from minoritycommunities as victims and witnesses, suspects andoffenders, professional staff, and partnerships. It could besubject to a ‘friendly’ amendment (the underlined words):‘To increase trust and confidence in criminaljustice amongst minority ethnic communities.’Institutional racismAccording to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report :‘Institutional racism consists of the collectivefailure of an organisation to provide an appropriateand professional service to people because of theircolour, culture or ethnic origin. It can be seen ordetected in processes, attitudes and behaviourwhich amount to discrimination through unwittingprejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, and raciststereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnicpeople.’ ( 6.34)Institutional racism – which does not mean that allindividuals in an organisation are racist – is not limited topolice services, but applies in many organisationsincluding the other criminal justice agencies.The Inquiry Report continues:‘It is incumbent upon every institution to examinetheir policies and the outcome of their policies andpractices to guard against disadvantaging anysection of our communities.’As a first step, to implement the spirit of the InquiryReport, all criminal justice agencies shouldConduct an audit of current policies, and the impact ofpractices and procedures, on local communities(particularly at key decision-making points).Conduct routine ethnic monitoring of all aspects oftheir work – and make local use of the results.Involve local communities in discussing the results ofmonitoring and devising plans to tackle any problemsidentified.Openness and accountabilityRecommendations 3-11 cover ways to promote ‘avigorous pursuit of openness and accountability’ ( 46.32).The report says that:‘… the principle which should govern the policeservices, and indeed the criminal justice system, isthat they should be accountable under all relevantlegislative provisions …’ (46.32)The Government has accepted most of theserecommendations. It will expand the Race Relations Act1976 to cover all public services. From October 2000onwards, when the Human Rights Act 1998 comes intoeffect, Article 14 of the European Convention on HumanRights – the prohibition of discrimination - will apply toall public authorities, including criminal justice agencies.These changes are to come. Meanwhile, there are stepsthat can be taken now by all criminal justice agencies:Extend lay involvementThe MPS has established a Lay Advisory Group toadvise its Racial and Violent Crime Force, a modelthat could be adapted by other agencies. Local raceequality councils and other community groups can beasked to help to establish lay panels drawn as widelyas possible from different communities and differentage groups. Lay panels can act as sounding boards inlocal areas and can be a rich source of advice whendeveloping, say, a training strategy, a crimeprevention plan or a customer survey. A court couldinvolve a lay panel in user group meetings; a prisoncould use a lay advisory group in devising stafftraining programmes; the police could apply the laymodel to other aspects of their work such as theimpact of stop and search.Develop organisational accountabilityThis can be promoted by working in partnership witha range of statutory and non-statutory organisations.Existing mechanisms can be strengthened and usedmore effectively. For example, Community PoliceConsultative Groups, must become more dynamic,effective and widely representative in a way they havenot been so far. A two-way dialogue between criminaljustice practitioners and young people is crucial.Imaginative and flexible ways to make contact with allages and community groups must be found.56
RACE AND JUSTICE 2000CHAPTER 9 AFTER THE WATERSHEDnEmphasise individual accountabilityA sense of personal accountability can be promoted byeffective, work-based training; proper managementand supervision of the impact of individual or teamwork on local communities; and by using promotionand appraisal systems to encourage work oncommunity relations.– about the harm of racism and discrimination. A highprofile public campaign – like that against drink driving –could help to educate the wider public. Criminal justiceagencies should work with local and educationalauthorities to promote the spirit of the Lawrencerecommendations.PartnershipThe report says that:‘… there must be a change so that there is genuinepartnership between the police and all sections ofthe community. This cannot be achieved by thepolice alone. The onus is on them to start theprocess. All other agencies, particularly those inthe field of education and housing must beinvolved. Co-operation must be genuine andvigorous.’ (46.40)Crime and Disorder Act 1998This legislation has important implications for fairnessand equality which have been mentioned at several pointsin this report.Local strategies for reducing crime and disorderThe new partnerships and local crime and disorderaudits are an excellent opportunity to restore localcommunity confidence in criminal justice byidentifying and delivering policing and local authorityservices which meet local needs. This fits with theapproach in the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report.A realistic debate is needed on problems of local crimeand the criminal justice response to it, which involveslocal communities in devising the strategies needed totackle them. Recommendation 70 says that local authorityand police crime prevention forums (established by theCrime and Disorder Act 1998 – see below) should adoptplans to promote cultural diversity and tackle racism.‘Only by full co-operation will the problems ofracism and racist crime be combated. There mustbe a ‘multi-stakeholder’ approach involving allparts of the community.’ (45.20)EducationAccording to the report:‘If racism is to be eliminated from our societythere must be a co-ordinated effort to prevent itsgrowth … to address the well founded concerns ofminority communities simply by addressing theracism current and visible in the police serviceswithout addressing the educational system wouldbe futile. The evidence we heard and read forcesus to the conclusion that our education systemmust face up to the problems, real and potential,which exist.’ (46.34)There is a fundamental need for education – from primaryschools to higher and continuing educational institutionsIt is essential that an imaginative and flexibleapproach is taken to involve and consult local peoplefrom all communities and of all ages, including youngpeople who do not usually participate in more formalstructures such as Police Community ConsultativeGroups. In some areas, special youth or black issuesforums have been set up to encourage widerparticipation and promote local accountability.Local crime audits must include an assessment of thescale of racist crime as well as the overall crime risksfor minority communities. Community groups must beinvolved in setting crime reduction strategies.Implementing the new provisions on raciallymotivated offencesThe Act provides new offences that will help tosupport the new initiatives being taken as a result ofthe Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report. It is importantthat they are used, and that their impact is monitored.Youth justice systemThe new youth justice provisions must be subject toethnic monitoring to ensure that:— Diversion schemes are available to young peoplefrom all communities.— Black and Asian young offenders benefit from57
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Let’sget itrightRace and Justice
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ContentsForeword page 21 A decade o
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RACE AND JUSTICE 2000trade unions,
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Page 65 and 66: BIBLIOGRAPHYBland et al (1999), ‘
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