CHAPTER 10

Community

OBJECTIVES:

To know the function of the Community

To be knowledgeable of the role of community in

administration of criminal justice

Members of the public interact with the criminal justice system in a variety of ways.
This document will examine the stages of the process which an individual will encounter
from the time a crime is reported, through investigation to prosecution, court hearing and
sentencing. For most people, however, direct engagement with the criminal justice
system on an individual basis is an infrequent event. Nevertheless, the relationship
between members of the community and the system in a broader sense has an ongoing
significance for everyone in society. It also has important implications for the effective and
credible operation of that system

Legitimacy, Fairness and Credibility within the Criminal Justice system

In order to have ongoing public support and trust, criminal justice systems need to
operate in a rule-based and accountable fashion. Arbitrary, corrupt or oppressive
measures will ultimately undermine the authority and credibility of the system and, in turn,
the rule of law generally. The Irish criminal justice system is founded on Constitutional
and common law principles of fairness and respect for individual liberty, and, in particular,
the right to a fair trial and a presumption of innocence. It is also essential, however, in the
interests of efficiency and in order to instil public confidence, that the system functions
effectively and protects the public. Key overall components of a fair and credible system
are:

• Effectiveness in detecting, deterring and punishing offending behaviour

• Fairness to all involved including victims, witnesses and accused
• Efficiency in the use of time and resources
• Transparency and prompt service delivery

Information and Awareness of the Criminal Justice System

Philippine Criminal Justice System 1

 Communications between the criminal justice system and the general public have
an important part to play in promoting public awareness and understanding of the
operation of that system. There are two aspects to this information flow. In the context of
a specific crime, victims need information about their case and about the process
surrounding their case. In addition, the general public need access to accurate
information about the performance of the criminal justice system generally.

In relation to individual victims, the Victims Charter and Guide to the Criminal
Justice System is made available in print form and in a variety of languages on the
website of the Victims of Crime Office.

Media and Awareness of Crime

The media naturally plays an important role in

shaping people’s awareness of crime and criminal
justice issues, just as it does for many other issues of
public interest. It is often suggested that this can distort
people’s perception of crime. Over recent decades the
volume of coverage and number of specialist crime
correspondents has increased greatly. High profile
cases or particularly disturbing events tend to become
the subject of multiple news reports and commentary.
This can create the impression that the incidence of these events or the risk of becoming
a victim is higher than might actually be the case. By contrast, some other types of crime
may appear less newsworthy and hence go underreported. It is also suggested that by
emphasizing and overstating some types of serious crime, crime coverage fuels punitive
tendencies in the debate on crime. The focus on short news cycle timeframes may deflect
attention from longer-term crime prevention measures. A further criticism is that some
coverage may reinforce the stigmatization of certain groups or communities.

Joint Policing Committees

Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) are a recent feature in Irish crime prevention.
They constitute a partnership process within each of the 114 local authority areas,
involving A Garda Síochána, members of the Oireachtas, elected members and officials
of local authorities, with the participation of the community and voluntary sector.

The functions of the JPC are set out in the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (s. 36(2).
The JPC monitors two broad areas: firstly, levels and patterns of crime, disorder and
antisocial behaviour in its area, including patterns and levels of misuse of alcohol and
drugs; secondly, the broader issue of factors underlying and contributing to crime,
disorder and anti-social behaviour. A further function is to advise the local authority and
An Garda Síochána on how they might best perform their functions with a view to

Philippine Criminal Justice System 2

preventing crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour within the area. The JPC also
arranges and hosts public meetings periodically on matters affecting the policing of the
local authority area. Meetings of the JPCs (with some limited exceptions) are themselves
open to the public.

Community Relations and Customer Service within the broader Criminal Justice
System

Many of the issues which arise in relation to service provision by the criminal justice
system mirror those arising across the public sector. The approach taken by the various
criminal justice agencies reflects broader developments in improving customer service
by the State through Customer Charters and Customer Service Action Plans. Those
charters and action plans set out standards of service which members of the public can
expect and include commitments on, for example, communication, physical access,
complaints and appeals, and consultation and evaluation of feedback.

Victims Charter

Improving the services available to victims is a key factor in increasing the

reporting of crime. The rights and entitlements of victims are summarized in the Victims
Charter and Guide to the Criminal Justice System. The most recent edition of this
document was launched in July 2010. The Victims Charter describes what victims can
expect from each of the agencies involved and each step in the criminal justice process,
from the reporting of a crime to A Garda Síochána through the investigation and initiation
of a prosecution either by the Gardaí, or in more serious cases, the Director of Public
Prosecutions

Meeting the Information Needs of Victims

A common theme in the approach of each agency within the criminal justice system
is the importance of keeping victims informed about the progress of investigations, the
prosecution procedure, courts’ processes and decisions, and issues about prison and
probation.

The Victims Charter of a Garda Síochána provides for all crime victims to be given
the name and contact details of the investigating Garda and the incident number to help
track the case, and also that they are kept informed of the case progress. In murder or
other fatal cases, contact is maintained through a named Garda Family Liaison Officer
from the investigation team. In cases of alleged human trafficking, Crime Prevention
Officers from the Garda Síochána liaise with suspected victims to assess any security
risk and to advise on suitable precautions.

Philippine Criminal Justice System 3

Reference:

http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/White%20Pape
r%20on%20Crime%20Discussion%20Documen
t%20No%204.pdf/Files/White%20Paper%20on
%20Crime%20Discussion%20Document%20No
%204.pdf
Video Link:

https://youtu.be/9p3mg9OXLOg

https://youtu.be/jEsQnXAgb-0

https://youtu.be/XnPGYxZBW1U

Philippine Criminal Justice System 4