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Criminal Justice Inspection welcomes publication of Feasibility Study on Community Impact Assessment
Criminal Justice Inspection welcomes publication of Feasibility Study on Community Impact Assessment
12 January 2012
Dr Michael Maguire has welcomed the publication of a feasibility study on Community Impact Assessment.
This was a recommendation within the November 2010 report: “An inspection of the handling of sexual offence cases by the justice system in Northern Ireland: Donagh sexual abuse case inspection".
The Chief Inspector said, "In November 2010 the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland recommended that the Department of Justice conduct a feasibility study to determine the applicability of the introduction of Community Impact Assessments.
“I now welcome the publication of this study and that the Minister of Justice has recognised that in some cases there is a need to give a community a greater voice in the criminal justice process.
"Our work on victims shows that those who have been on the receiving end of crime can often feel alienated from the justice process. Giving victims and communities a greater voice will help address this.
"This is an opportunity through the consultation process to consider what this may mean in practice. This is a step in the right direction for the criminal justice system."