LOCAL MP David Lammy has explained that young offenders from ethnic backgrounds will become “the next generation” of criminals unless the justice system is formed.
The Labour MP led a review which found the system in England and Wales biased and displaying discrimination towards people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
MP Lammy has made a total of 35 recommendations, these include delaying or even dropping some prosecutions.
The government has said it will “look carefully” at the suggestions.
People from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds make up 25 per cent of the prison population in England and Wales and 41 per cent of the youth justice system, despite these groups being 14 per cent of the general population, the review has showed.
‘ACTIONS MATTER MOST’
Mr Lammy said it was well established that there was an over-representation of people from minority backgrounds in the criminal justice system, but his report was about looking at their “treatment and outcomes”. He also said: “It is clear to me that BAME individuals still face bias.”.
The most surprising recommendation in this detailed and well-evidenced report is the idea of deferred prosecutions.
It’s similar to the “conditional cautioning” scheme under which people escape trial if they admit their offence and agree to undergo rehabilitation, do unpaid work or pay compensation.
If the programme is applied, offenders from all ethnic backgrounds, though those from BAME communities, who are disproportionately represented, could benefit most.
WHAT THE REPORT INCLUDES
Lammy report recommendations
- More data should be recorded and published on both ethnicity and religion for better scrutiny of the Criminal Justice System’s approach
- The Crown Prosecution Service should consider its approach to gang prosecutions, making sure people’s actions are punished, not their associations
- Modern slavery legislation should be reviewed to see if it can help prevent the exploitation of vulnerable young men and women
- Identifying information should be redacted to make for “race-blind” decisions on cases
- All sentencing remarks made in Crown Court should be published, along with a system of online feedback on judges
- Hiring of new judges, with a national target of a representative judiciary of 2025, along with a more representative prison staff
- Low-level offenders should be allowed to “defer” prosecution and opt for a rehabilitation programme before entering a plea – a model used in the West Midlands, which Mr Lammy says has “produced impressive results and should be rolled out across the country”
- Young offenders should be assessed for their maturity to inform sentencing decisions
- The prison service should take a “problem solving” approach for dealing with complaints and ensure fairness for prisoners when it comes to incentives and earned privileges,
- Reformed offenders should be able to apply to have their criminal records “sealed” – so they need not disclose their offence to a employer