Magistrates Emily-Jane Morris and Gilles Casse at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court have backed a £1 million diversity campaign to recruit thousands of magistrates from 'every part of society'.
The campaign, launched by Ministry of Justice (MOJ), is set to increase the numbers of volunteers by 4,000 across the country, especially those under their 40s, disabled, or from a Black, Asian or minority (BAM) ethic background, to ensure the magistracy reflects the diversity of the capital.
In London, less than one in ten magistrates (7.2 per cent) in London are currently under 39, according to MOJ’s 2020 statistics. The research also revealed that only a third of the magistrates of London are from a BAM background.
Morris, 24-year-old, has been a magistrates for almost three years. She said she had never met a magistrate her age.
“We need to have a wider and a more diverse range of people sitting on the bench, those who are more likely to have empathy for certain people's life experiences and understand what has led them into the court,” Morris added.
“I want to smash the stereotype of what type of person a magistrate is. I don’t have a degree in law, I was given all the training I needed. The main things you need are integrity and self-awareness. It’s so rewarding to know you’re making a difference to people’s lives.”
The level of diversity within the magistracy is low, but not as low as people think. I would encourage people to apply as everyone has life experiences that make them unique and stand out."
According to 2021 GOV.UK statistics, 56 percent of sitting magistrates in the UK were women, 13 per cent were Black, Asian and minority ethnic and 82 percent were aged 50 and above.
The Mauritius-born Casse, 67, has been a magistrate for 13 years. He wishes to bring diversity to the justice system and give back to the community. He said: “I love dispelling the stereotype of who a magistrate is – you can be from any walk of life.
As a magistrate, you need to be aware that sometimes your upbringing, your culture, your way of life and what have you, leads to certain perceptions and unconscious biases. Your role as a magistrate is not to dispense law, it is to dispense justice. You need to listen to the facts, trying to find the truth within those facts and reach a considered judgment, not an emotional judgment.”
Being a magistrate can be quite demanding, Casse said. “It is not just sitting in court. It's the amount of reading and the amount of training you have to do. You need to be aware of what's going on around you in society in general. You never stop learning as a magistrate.”
The magistracy has suffered a great deal over the last few years because of lack of recruitment, especially from younger people and from people with an ethnic background, Casse said.
He added: “There has been a lack of awareness amongst the general public about what magistrates do. MOJ is keen to tackle these misconceptions and increase interest in the role as a magistrate.”
Magistrates, also called Justices of the Peace, are ordinary people who hear cases in court in their community.
Magistrates do not need any specific legal training, nor do they sit exams. Instead, they undergo mandatory training of about three and a half days before sitting in court, and will be allocated a mentor for their first year.
The work of a magistrate is voluntary with individuals expected to dedicate a minimum of 13 days a year service, meaning many magistrates often fulfil this crucial role easily alongside full-time employment and caring responsibility.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab said: “Magistrates are a vital pillar of our world-class justice system and we want people from every part of society represented in their ranks
“Alongside our plans to double their sentencing powers from six months to a year, this recruitment drive will ensure magistrates can play an even greater role in restoring the swift justice the public deserve.”
The campaign represents the largest recruitment effort in the 650-year history of the magistracy and could increase the workforce and help to tackle the backlog of criminal cases caused by the pandemic by up to a third in the coming years.
Visit icanbeamagistrate.co.uk for more information on the role of a magistrate and information on how to apply.
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