A radical reform of the Isle of Man’s criminal justice system is being proposed as part of a drive to make it better, faster, simpler and more cost efficient.
A new national strategy identifies opportunities to modernise processes, streamline administration and reduce the number of low-level offences appearing before the courts.
It suggests alternative ways of working to deliver a more joined-up approach and improve outcomes for all those affected by and working within the criminal justice system. The overall aim is to ensure the Manx system is more effective and fit for the future.
The Isle of Man Criminal Justice Strategy has been progressed by Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson MHK at the request of Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK.
Island residents are being invited to comment on the proposals through a public consultation launched on Monday.
Minister Watterson said: ‘The Isle of Man enjoys low crime and high detection rates and is undoubtedly one of the safest places to live in the British Isles. However, the prison population is still relatively high, there can be long periods between arrest and verdict, and we have a rising legal aid bill.
‘Our vision is for a fair, efficient and sustainable justice system. We need to move forward creatively, consider new ideas, and instil a culture that delivers joined-up justice. Within Government, we should aim for seamless processing of cases between police, prosecution, courts, prison and probation to ensure justice is delivered efficiently for the benefit of the victims, the accused and the taxpayer. However, we will not compromise on having a fair and transparent system as we investigate these initiatives. I would urge people to consider what is being proposed and provide feedback via the consultation process.’
The Criminal Justice Strategy has been developed by a Programme Board comprising the heads of various agencies including the Isle of Man Constabulary, General Registry, Attorney General’s Chambers, and the Prison and Probation Service, together with representation from the Law Society.
The strategy sets out a clear direction of travel for the criminal justice system in the Island and identifies major policy areas for improvement, including prevention of crime, an appropriate response when crime is committed, and rehabilitation of offenders to reduce future offending.
Alternative approaches to sentencing – such as restorative and community justice, and the extended use of fixed penalties – are explored as a means of reducing the volume of low-level criminal matters processed through the courts.
Minister Watterson said: ‘Prison has been seen as a “one size fits all”, but is not appropriate for non-violent nuisance offenders who at worst acquire a less desirable social group and can become institutionalised. That is not good value for money at more than £58,000 per prisoner per year. An alternative approach could be the increased use of robust community sentences to improve communities or fixed penalty notices for lesser offences. This would help to ensure that prison is reserved for the more dangerous and serious offenders in our community.’
He added: ‘We have an opportunity to make some significant improvements and ensure that the criminal justice system in the Isle of Man is fit for purpose for the next 20 years.’
The public consultation runs until 5pm on November 9, 2012, and a copy of the Criminal Justice Strategy is available on the Government website at http://www.gov.im/Consultations.gov
People can respond via an online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IOMCJSStrategy by email at change@gov.im or by post to Criminal Justice Modernisation Strategy Consultation, Chief Secretary’s Office, Government Office, Bucks Road, Douglas, IM1 3PN.
