Law Reform

The LCCSA responds to the Home Affairs Committee Inquiry into young black people in the criminal justice system.

PUBLISHED July 13, 2006
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The Home Affairs Committee (''the H.A.C.'') have announced that they wish to hold an inquiry into the relationship between young black people and the criminal justice system, focusing particularly on public perceptions of criminality among young black people and the reasons for their overrepresentation
in the system. The H.A.C. have not requested responses to any specific questions and do not refer to any statistical analysis which they have relied upon in finding that young black people are over-represented in
the criminal justice system. As a result our response is wide ranging and is limited to the experience and views of the sub-committee.
 
We do however wish to state we are willing to provide oral submissions to the H.A.C. in due course in relation to the following issues: -
  1. We are concerned that the current application of the ?stop and search? procedures by the police is likely to lead to the over-representation of young black people in the criminal justice system.
  2. We believe there are numerous socio-economic factors outlined below which have a very significant bearing on the vast majority of defendants, and which equally need to be addressed by the Government.
  3. We have no doubt that the reforms proposed by Lord Carter will have the effect of driving ethnic minority firms out of business, lead to underrepresentation of black lawyers within the criminal justice system and will further deepen the feeling of disenfranchisement amongst young black
    people.

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