The UK's Home Office has launched a website aimed at providing a user-friendly guide to the Criminal Justice System for the general public. The CJS comprises agencies such as the Police, the Courts, the Prison Service, and the Crown Prosecution Service. The new site was launched to coincide with the government's Inside Justice Week, a series of events which aim to "open up" the CJS to the public.
The site is divided into sections that are relevant to different categories of visitors to the site:
- victim,
- witness,
- defendant,
- offender and
- juror.
Each section provides a "virtual walkthrough" of what people in each category can expect to happen. For example, the offender section offers an interactive tour of a prison and describes what daily life is like for prisoners.
For witnesses, jurors and defendants, the tours include a guide to what happens in the courtroom, while the victims' section provides information on police procedures.
14.10.2004