Wade, Niamh (2024) A Feasibility Study on the Introduction of a Community Court in Ireland Based on a comparative analysis of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre in Australia and the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre in England. PhD thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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Abstract

This doctoral thesis assesses the feasibility of introducing a community court in Ireland – based on a comparative analysis of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC) in Australia and the North Liverpool Community Justice Centre (NLCJC) in England – and provides evidence-based recommendations to inform policymakers of the approach that is needed to successfully implement this innovative court model. Building on the two previous proposals to introduce a pilot Irish community court, semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders in Australia, England, and Ireland, and an online survey of Tallaght residents, this thesis concludes that a community court is feasible in Ireland, and that such an initiative, if adequately resourced and structured, would have the capacity to transform high-crime communities and improve the quality of life of residents. The thesis also argues that it is the optimal time for Irish policymakers to reconsider the community court model, but that in doing so, close attention must be paid to the key recommendations made within this thesis which serve as a guidebook for how to successfully implement a community court. The best practice guidelines set out for the establishment of a community court in this thesis include: adequate resourcing, funding of dual staff members, built-in mechanisms for monitoring, evaluation based on relevant indicators of success, accessible placement in a high-crime area with established support services, a standalone and purposefully designed building in which the court is not the main focus, a strong commitment to the principle of community justice, intensive community consultation and continuous community involvement, creation of political champions and advocates at every level of the criminal justice system, a single judge with experience in therapeutic jurisprudence, and the on-site co-location of criminal justice agencies and support services. Furthermore, it is suggested that Tallaght is a prime location for a pilot community court as it is an area with a large population, high crime rates, a strong sense of community, and an existing foundation of established support services. On the whole, the thesis demonstrates that an ill-conceived community court risks becoming a waste of vast resources, but that if these evidence-based recommendations are carefully followed, the community court model can have a truly transformative impact on high-crime communities.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Keywords:	Feasibility Study; Community Court; Ireland; comparative analysis; Neighbourhood Justice Centre; Australia; North Liverpool Community; Justice Centre; England;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Law
Item ID:	18629
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	10 Jun 2024 14:01
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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