Tuesday, 21 January 2014
Dr Helen Miles, the Force’s Director of Criminal Justice, has just become a published author with a unique study of the island’s honorary police and parish hall system.
The book, co-authored with Professor Peter Raynor of Swansea University, provides evidence of the effectiveness of the island’s parish system and contributes to the literature on ‘what works’ in resolving conflicts and influencing offenders. Detailed case studies give a ‘hands on’ flavour of the process.
Recent years have seen the development of a growing international literature on restorative justice, community justice and alternatives to formal criminal justice processes. This literature is strong on theory but light on detailed evaluative studies. In the UK, the absence of traditional community-based systems of justice required the introduction of legislation to create Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, Fixed Penalty Notices and Referral Orders. Miles and Raynor’s book documents a type of justice that has survived in Jersey for over 800 years and although it is an ancient institution, it is still in regular use asb an integral part of a modern criminal justice system. Restorative outcomes are achieved by the community without having to create complex, expensive, professional organisational frameworks.
The book demonstrates how parish people can deal with parish problems at parish level which contributes to community safety, promotes positive behaviour and offers useful alternatives to criminal convictions.
