Madam,

I am not exactly sure when the concept of or the belief in justice was finally eradicated from the term ‘Criminal Justice System’. Like all the cornerstones of our society it was probably a case of subtle erosion, controlled dismantling of the structures which ensured parity and equity for all individuals and levels of society.

The term ‘justice’ is intrinsically linked to the authority of a ‘judge’, an appointee with authority to make decisions in a court of law. Since the Middle Ages the crown’s subjects had an assumed right to judgement by a higher and impartial authority.

It is a fundamental right to seek a judicious outcome for any and all outrages against the person or the rights of any individual. All victims were assured that they would have ‘their day in court’.

Alas, that assumed parity no longer exists. The right to justice under the law has been usurped by the accountants, the business managers and, most regrettably, the upholders of the law, the police themselves. The ‘suits’ and administrators apply a monetary criteria to all prosecutions: ‘can we guarantee a conviction?’, ‘is it in the public interest?’ (for ‘public interest’ read ‘how much will it cost’).

The next best thing is a trade-off of plea to a lesser crime in exchange for a lesser sentence. Again, great for the accountants, hardly judicious for the victims of crime. The role of the police in this process demeans their primary function, upholding the Queen’s Peace and protecting her subjects with impartiality and objectivity.

No more, they are now second guessing and pandering to the Crown Prosecution Service with arbitrary ‘no further action’ decisions delegated to low-ranking supervisors.

A typical example was an incident which occurred on New Quay’s idyllic beach. An elderly man walking his dog was subjected to an unprovoked and vicious attack.

The matter was reported to police who responded promptly but from there the outcome degenerated. When pushed the police carried out an ‘investigation’, but lacking direct evidence, admission, witnesses, CCTV, they decided ‘no further action’. Is that justice in our community?

We are in the throws of an epidemic of violence and lawlessness. This is promulgated by the policy of appeasement and apathy by the police and the overarching criteria of financial constraint and compromise by the judiciary. What hope for justice?

Yours etc, Allan Phillips, New Quay.

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