AS a two-pronged approach against crime, it is high time for all hands on deck to tackle the root causes of crime and improve the criminal justice system.

This from a recent report by Parliament’s Joint Select Committee (JSC) on National Security headed by Keith Scotland.

[caption id="attachment_1052382" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Joint Select Committee on National Security chairman Keith Scotland -[/caption]

The report said it was a daunting task to reform the criminal justice system, but was required to save it.

“It is long-term, beyond the term of individual political or employment offices. It may require unpopular decisions. It will have temporary setbacks.

“It will require strong leaders.

“However, to leave it unchanged is to diminish the power of the rule of law and increase the opportunity for human rights abuses and vigilante justice - a de-legitimised system.”

The report said the system needed a stimulus.

“A system can only change when the culture and its people accept responsibility for improvement.”

MORE COLLABORATION NEEDED

The committee said the criminal justice system must begin to function as a system, not a collection of organisations operating beside each other.

“Transformative change – change that fundamentally alters the outcomes for people – can only happen as a collective effort.”

For change to work, it must be understood, agreed on and measurable, the report said.

“If we conduct focused and co-ordinated efforts on crime-processing, engage the community in addressing the socioeconomic roots of crime, and we hold all relevant entities accountable, then citizens will act with confidence in their rights and criminal cases will be handled by all justice sector organisations effectively and efficiently which will increase public confidence, system legitimacy, the rule of law and the application of human rights.”

The report again said this would be a “significant undertaking.”

“This is a long-term effort and involves institutional and societal changes to culture, process, legislation, engagement and technology.”

The report called for a committee to help align agencies of the criminal justice system made of key people.

“Key champions should be individuals in the organisations who have demonstrated commitment to transformation, sufficient authority to represent their organisation, and a positive reputation in the justice sector community.”

Police, prosecutors and defence counsel should be trained in laws to expedite cases, namely laws in indictable proceedings, judge-alone trials and plea discussions. Saying police often select overly high levels of charge for suspects, the report said that can cause lengthy remand and should be avoided.

The report urged more use of electronic tagging in place of remand and said charged suspects should be given more access to retraining, anger management and community service.

POLICE NEED TRAINING

[caption id="attachment_1052383" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Police officers stop and search a driver during an anti-gang