Justice seen to be done

A JUSTICE champion is to be appointed in Oldham to ensure victims of crime are being supported and offenders are getting “visible” community punishments.

The neighbourhood crime and justice co-ordinator will be tasked with fighting for the rights of victims and toughening up community sentences in an attempt to boost the public’s trust in the justice system.

The Government is concerned that many people currently consider the system too remote and too soft on criminals who are given non-custodial sentences.

Oldham is one of 60 areas across the country that will get a co-ordinator in exchange for agreeing to become a new neighbourhood crime and justice pioneer area, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was announcing today.

The dedicated co-ordinators, backed by £5.6 million of Government funding, will be responsible for ensuring that community punishments in their areas are “visible and tough”, and that the public have a greater say on how men and women who have committed crimes should make amends for the harm they have caused.

They will also be asked to ensure that services and support for victims and witnesses, such as separate seating arrangements at court, are up to scratch, as well as informing residents about their rights to know the identity of their neighbourhood policing team, how they can hold them to account and the minimum level of service they should expect.