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Merseyside’s judiciary for all
FOLLOWING
the advice and support of the Lord Chancellor, Merseyside
Magistrates Courts have taken up the challenge to ensure that its
magistrates’ benches resemble the communities they serve.
Operation Black Vote in partnership with the Ministry of Justice
have re-launched a groundbreaking campaign which has already begun
to change the face of the magistracy.
Over 30 people who took part
in the national Scheme have already been appointed as magistrates
and nearly 70 other participants are awaiting their interview
outcomes.
A series of free 1 day seminars entitled, ‘A judiciary for all’
are being organised in regions across the country, including
Merseyside to help improve Black and other minority ethnic (BME)
representation within the magistracy and to increase BME awareness
of the criminal justice process.
The seminars will provide
individuals considering applying to the magistracy with the
knowledge and understanding of the role of magistrates and the work
of the Criminal Justice System.
Rt. Hon. Jack Straw MP, Lord Chancellor said:- "The magistracy
should of course reflect the communities it serves. We therefore
support this important opportunity to encourage more people from the
Black and minority ethnic population to become magistrates."
The seminar is part of an open day organised by both Knowsley and St
Helens Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and the Merseyside
Criminal Justice Board as part of the national Inside Justice Week
initiative.
Court manager, Debbie McLaughlin explained:- “The day will
attempt to dispel a lot of the myths that are out in the public
arena about how the Criminal Justice Agencies operate to deliver a
service to the local communities that they serve.
As people learn
more about the Criminal Justice System it is our hope that public
confidence will increase.”
The seminar will be held in St Helens & Knowsley Magistrates Court,
Corporation Street, St Helens on Friday, 9 November 2007 from
1.45pm to 4.15pm.
Operation Black Vote is providing this unique
learning opportunity to anyone who has a desire to become a
magistrate to play a full and positive role within our public
institutions.
For more information contact Operation Black Vote on 0208 983 5471.
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Over 50s: Eco-Cynics, Most think government is ‘capitalising on
concerns’
THE over 50s,
whilst concerned about the state of the environment, are suspicious
of the government’s plans to implement green taxes and would only
support efforts to curb climate change providing it didn’t
inconvenience them, research revealed.
Millennium, the UK’s leading mature marketing agency, commissioned
the research to investigate the over 50s’ attitudes towards green
issues and how companies could better market eco-friendly products
and services to this wealthy and increasingly discerning age
bracket. Research findings found that 84% believed that the
government was capitalising on current concerns to implement further
‘green taxes’. 35% also felt that current concern about
the environment was disproportionate and scaremongering, with this
rising to 43% of all male respondents.
With increased media coverage about the effects of climate change on
the world and rising evidence of global warming, 82% of respondents
confessed that they worried about the state of the world as their
children and grandchildren would inherit it and 92% felt that the
government was not doing enough to safeguard the environment for
future generations. However, some show little desire to change
for the environment’s sake, as 28% felt there was no point in them
personally striving to live an eco-friendly life and 31% would not
sacrifice their standard of living at all to benefit the
environment.
The research, which was conducted by The Leadership Factor, the UK’s
leading source of customer satisfaction data, polled 700 men and
women over the age of 50 on the contentious issue of the
environment.
Fiona Hought, Managing Director, Millennium, said:- “Our
research clearly shows the diversity of opinion among the over 50s
with regards the environment, but also the overriding sense of
cynicism with which they approach those attempting to jump on the ‘eco-friendly’
bandwagon. In light of this, marketers need to be very careful
to ensure their campaigns are not dismissed as ‘cashing-in’
by mature consumers.
People are concerned about the state of the environment and many are
prepared to engage in activities which benefit the environment, such
as the 95% who recycle regularly, so there is most definitely an
openness to eco-friendly products and services that marketers could
capitalise on, but as scepticism is endemic, propositions must be
absolutely credible.
Our advice to marketers would be to ensure the eco-credentials of
their products really stand up to scrutiny. Given that the over 50s
account for 40 per cent and rising of all consumer spending, there
is a massive market to be exploited, so eschewing ‘preachy’
marketing campaigns and adopting a more empathetic, practical tone
will most definitely reap the desired rewards.”
For more information, visit
www.millenniumdirect.co.uk.
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