At 9am this morning we are delivering to the First Minister our report Justice in Wales for the People of Wales. The report and a summary are now available in English and Welsh at https://gov.wales/commission-justice-wales-report.
Based on the extensive and far reaching enquiry we have undertaken, our report sets out an ambitious plan with 78 recommendations to improve justice in Wales.
We are of the view that justice policy and delivery should be determined in Wales so that they align with health, education, housing and other social policies. Determining justice policy in London treats justice as an island and not as central to the development of Wales as a just, fair and prosperous nation. The people of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged in this way. Hence our overarching recommendation that:
- Justice should be devolved to Wales.
- enabling access to justice though joining up legal aid and third sector provision and setting a strategy for court location across Wales;
- changes to the criminal justice system by rebalancing the system so that it focuses on reducing crime and re-offending;
- better integration of health provision, using problem solving courts and establishing women’s centres for most female offenders in place of imprisonment;
- reducing the number of children taken into care and spending resources more effectively;
- rationalising dispute resolution in civil and administrative justice;
- strengthening the contribution the legal sector makes to the Welsh economy and encouraging innovation in the sector and at law schools;
- a consistent approach to treating the Welsh language on a basis of equality with English.
We are grateful for all the help, assistance and evidence received. It forms the basis of our report. We look forward to a more just, fair and prosperous Wales through the implementation of our recommendations.
Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd on behalf of the Commission on Justice in Wales
As someone who's always considered a need for continuity and consistency across the CJS, regional devolution concerns me a bit.
ReplyDeleteThe Woolfe report into the Strangeways riots infact identified the lack of continuity and consistency within the prison estate as a major contributor to the riot and cause for serious concern.
I can however see benefits with devolution, so I'm not beyond convincing, just worry about unintended consequences.
For example, there's a push at the moment to allow long term prisoners to access student loans to do higher education whilst serving their sentences. Would devolution mean perhaps prisoners could study for a degree in NI and Wales, but not in England or Scotland?
I would however like to see justice issues devolved from the political agenda, and rooted with a more academic approach. It just can't be right to let justice matters be directed and informed by people like Chris Grayling and Liz Truss. What qualifies them to take decisions of such magnitude? One has a history degree, the other a geography degree and little common sense between them.
I also think it's a good time for those that argue for devolution to make their case. Brexit threatens the UK union (I'm not a unionist), and the devolution of certain powers will no doubt be seen in Westminster as a means of quelling unrest, and with the CJS in such a chaotic mess, Westminster might only be to happy to hand over big chunks of it to those who put their hands up!
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/oct/24/welsh-justice-review-calls-for-scottish-style-devolution-of-powers?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D#aoh=15719065639664&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fuk-news%2F2019%2Foct%2F24%2Fwelsh-justice-review-calls-for-scottish-style-devolution-of-powers
'Getafix
Wales is not a region. It's a country.
DeleteOh lookee. One comment on an absolutely CRUCIAL news story... But not centred on London/England. This is what drives nationalism, and I'm not a nationalist. Yet.
ReplyDeleteA jurisdiction in UK "the size of Wales" well, exactly the size of Wales, has produced progressive policies and vision in an independent commission. The leader of a government has undertaken to reunify probation in the public sector and has indicated that uncoupling probation from civil service is a plan. Take heed.
ReplyDeleteGallwch gadw'ch sofraniaeth yn San Steffan a'ch 'mam o bob senedd'; rydyn ni'n eithaf hapus yn plymio ymlaen, yn aros i annibyniaeth gyrraedd er mwyn i ni allu ail-gysylltu รข'n ffrindiau yn yr UE
ReplyDelete"You can keep your sovereignty at Westminster and your 'mother of all parliaments'; we are quite happy diving forward, waiting for independence to arrive so we can reconnect with our EU friends."
Delete