NI: Committee explores innovation in the criminal justice system

Alastair Ross MLA, chair of the committee
Alastair Ross MLA, chair of the committee

MLAs yesterday welcomed a report by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Justice Committee exploring opportunities for collaboration and innovation in the justice system.

The Report on Justice in the 21st Century: Innovative Approaches for the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland was produced after a year of engagement and collaboration with the criminal justice sector, including the judiciary, legal profession and voluntary and community organisations.

Alastair Ross MLA, chair of the committee, said: “The Committee is of the view that the underlying problems and root causes of offending behaviour in a range of areas such as substance misuse and addiction must be tackled if reoffending rates are to be addressed.

“To that end we are recommending that there is a commitment in the next Programme for Government to develop a pilot problem-solving court solution, like the ones we saw in New York and Glasgow.

“This should take account of the particular challenges within the criminal justice system here, such as alcohol or drug addiction, or mental health issues.

“Having witnessed first-hand the potential of Online Dispute Resolution for low level civil claims in the Netherlands, the Committee is also recommending that the next Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop a pilot online dispute resolution mechanism for low value civil claims, taking account of experiences in using this type of approach both internationally and in the private sector.”

The report also considered the challenges presented by an increasingly digital society, approaches to youth justice, and the problem of excessive penalisation.

Mr Ross added: “I strongly encourage the next Committee for Justice to build on the strong foundations which have been laid for collaboration between those working in the various aspects of the criminal justice system; to continue to provide opportunities for innovative thinking on creative approaches to the many challenges faced; and to ensure progress on the recommendations in this report.”

Justice Minister David Ford, who will leave the Northern Ireland Executive after May’s election, welcomed the publication of the report.

He told MLAs: “I cannot commit a future Justice Minister, even if it were one of my party colleagues, on what the Executive as a whole will decide, but it is absolutely safe to say that I recognise the good ideas in the report, and I thank the Committee for doing it.”

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