Advantages and Disadvantages of Magistrates

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  • Created by: Laura
  • Created on: 18-05-13 15:47

Advantages and Disadvantages of Magistrates

AdvantagesGetting Started

  • Lay involvement -  public participation in the justice system
  • Local knowledge - community concerns and interests represented
  • Balanced view - a bench of three Magistrates provides a balanced view
  • Cost - they are volunteers and therefore relatively cheap, though do take longer to make decisions than professional judges

Disadvantages

  • Not representative - similar criticisms to judiciary being from middle-class and professional backgrounds
  • Inconsistent  - Magistrates can be slow to reach a decision often retiring to consider their verdict where a professional district judge would come to a decision straight away
  • Bias towards the police - sitting in local areas, Magistrates get to know the police officers that come to give evidence and tend to be more sympathetic to this

Evaluation

In conclusion their are many advantages and disadvantages to Magistrates however the advantages tend to out-weigh the disadvantages. 

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