Magistrates in the Community Project [MIC]

Research has shown that there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the Magistracy, throughout all kinds of social groups in every part of the country. As a result, the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Magistrates' Association have set up a project, "The Magistrates in the Community Project" [MIC]. 

The project has four main objectives and they are:

 •  to improve the community's understanding of the work of the lay magistracy,   thereby increasing respect and confidence in justices and the criminal justice system;

 •  to encourage all magistrates to consider making some contribution to MIC on the understanding that the survival of the lay magistracy depends upon accurately informing the public about how local justice works and seeking the public's positive support for the part of the lay magistracy in the criminal  justice system;

 •  to create a climate in which all magistrates see themselves as an ambassador at all times, and in all places, for the lay magistracy.

 •  to make all the various types of work connected with MIC as professional as  possible.

The project is organized and led by the Branch Liaison Officer [BLO] in conjunction with Bench Coordinators who in turn liaise with the Presenters. The BLO for the Leicestershire and Rutland Branch is Roger Corlett. Each Bench has two MIC Coordinators, one for the community and the other for schools, and as many Presenters as can be found. It is policy for Presenters to work in pairs and although it is usual for Presenters to have had three years experience before taking on this role, newer magistrates would be welcome to accompany an experienced Presenter to observe what takes place during a presentation.

If you would like to find out more about MIC please do not hesitate to contact one of your Bench's Coordinators, or the BLO for further details. Your interest and support would be much appreciated.

Roger Corlett

rogercorlett@yahoo.co.uk

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Magistrates Association Leicestershire and Rutland Branch

 BEC Meeting 15 January 2009- Report on Magistrates in the Community

As I reported at the last meeting, there have been a large number of changes in coordinators, and the new appointees are currently working their way into their new roles.  

The Market Bosworth team attended Redmoor High School on 11^th November, working with 60 students on presentations and mock trials, and on 13^th November, ran a morning session at Heathfield High and an afternoon session at Hastings High, on the same activities. On 20^th November, these two latter schools were again visited on the same basis, working with around 60 students, and on 27^th November worked again with 28 students at Heathfield High.  

The Market Bosworth Schools programme had a major event at Market Bosworth High, working with the whole of year 9 (220 students). Due to illness, the MIC team is indebted to magistrates from the supplemental bench who came in at the 11^th hour to assist, plus Bruce Sampson JP, who left his sick bed to help! We trust that Bruce is now on the mend.  

Their community talks included a visit to Lutterworth Young Farmers (40 young adults) and Elmsthorpe WI (50 ladies). That all makes a total of 420 students and 90 adults working with 21 current magistrates and 3 from the supplemental list..  

Sandra assisted Leicester MIC team at an Arson Task Force event at De Montfort University, working with Leicester firefighters and 12 disaffected youngsters, highlighting the dangers of arson crime.

 Leicester have, for the first time, used the Leicester Court House for running Mock trials for students, and two sessions have been completed with students from Hamilton Community College. The team has also completed 8 presentations/mock trials at Abington Community College , with 240 students attending.  

Liz Riley, the new coordinator at Ashby, worked with her team at an Industry Day at Castle Donington Community College . 4 sessions involving nearly 40 students went well including a quiz and a MIC OHP presentation. It is intended that at the next visit to the college, mock trials will be included in the agenda.  

3 schools from Loughborough and Broughton Astley have entered the Citizenship Foundation National Mock trial Competition.

Loughborough have also completed 4 community talks. Sileby Catholic ladies circle (34 people), Melton Mowbray Monday Social Group (40), Sileby Monday Group (36) and Six Hills Young Farmers (26).  

Melton Belvoir and Rutland MIC completed 9 schools visits in November and December. 6 visit were completed at Uppingham Community College , and 1 visit each to Langham Primary and St. John and St. Mary Primary , North Luffenham .  

Following our successful mail out last year, I have again written to all 160 WIs and 30 Rotary clubs in the area advising them of our community talks. We have already had our first response.  

We have had less success with our efforts to recruit magistrates from the BME community. Overall recruitment is being reduced, so some activities have been curtailed. Despite writing to over 80 ethnic organizations, going on to BBC Radio Leicester and speaking to the Council of Faiths, I have only had 1 response! Following a meeting with Nick Watson, it was decided to contact Operation Black Vote and run another phase of the shadowing scheme.  

As previously advised, at the last meeting of the Combined Youth panel, it was agreed by Youth Court Magistrates that we would celebrate Youth Court 100 with an event, for the whole area, based at Leicester Town Hall and the Youth Court at Pocklingtons Walk.

This event has attracted enormous interest, with over 50 magistrate volunteers from around the county offering to help. The event takes place on the afternoon of 13^th March and all day on Saturday 14^th March. Further offers of help would be welcome, and all magistrates are invited to attend. Please ask me for fuller details.  

Roger Corlett

MIC Liaison Officer

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