NCJ Number
187559
Journal
Howard Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 40 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2001 Pages: 26-38
Date Published
February 2001
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the recent birth of what the author perceives to be a move toward increased specialization in British magistrates' courts.
Abstract
The developments that suggest the beginnings of such a trend have all occurred in West Yorkshire, where two specialist drug courts and a specialist domestic violence court are now operating. These courts are effectively piloting an innovative approach that, should it prove successful, is likely to become a nationwide trend. The specialist courts that have been established in Great Britain to date are described in some detail in this article, along with a review of the rationale, implementation, and desirability of such specialization; however, due to the fact that specialist courts in Great Britain are in the formative stage, it is too early to comment on their effectiveness. This article assesses these courts primarily through an analysis of their forerunners in the United States. The aims and motivations behind specialization are considered, together with the advantages to be gained from such an approach. These advantages are considered both in practical and conceptual terms. An analysis of the areas where specialization is likely to occur in Great Britain in the future is offered, and the wider context of this new development is considered. 18 references