Explain briefly what and how local Community Justice Panel work - Research Paper Example

Local Community Justice Panel or LCJP is primarily a community based justice system comprising of victims, offenders and members of the public or community that seeks to resolve the dispute after party/parties admit to partial or wholly to the culpability of the crime. The LCJP only takes up minor crimes like shoplifting, cheque forging, vandalism etc. The community mediation is sought for effective resolution that would give opportunity to the offender to reform rather than inflict punishment.

It has increasingly become a popular alternative to formal court of justice and is hugely cost effective. The panel is ‘facilitated by a criminal justice professional; attendance is voluntary and they are only used where the offending parties admit culpability’ (Rogers, 2005). The panel comprises of neighbors, families of victim and offenders along with community volunteers who develop and monitor the reform process or probation sentence for 90 days. The most distinct feature of the community justice system is that it is represented by two parties, mostly families and acquaintances of victim and offenders who admit to the culpability of crime.

With the help of local government and voluntary bodies, a board of three to six members from community is formed that mediates and conciliates to evolve probation sentence that is acceptable to all. The panel takes up low risk, non violent cases of anti social behavior which are addressed with the major aim to reformation through proactive participation of public. This greatly promotes responsive behavior and addresses the need to ensure that justice is done publicly.(words: 253) ReferenceRogers, Ben, Mark.

New directions in community justice. London: Institute for Public Policy Research, 2005. Print.