Inside Crown Court: Personal Experiences and Questions of Legitimacy

by Jessica Jacobson, Gillian Hunter, Amy Kirby

Overview

With a new Foreword by David Ormerod of the Law Commission. Within the criminal justice system of England and Wales, the Crown Court is the arena in which serious criminal offences are prosecuted and sentenced. On the basis of up-to-date ethnographic research, this timely book provides a vivid description of what it is like to attend court as a victim, a witness or a defendant; the interplay between the different players in the courtroom; and the extent to which the court process is viewed as legitimate by those involved in it. This valuable addition to the field brings to life the range of issues involved and is aimed at students and scholars of criminal justice, policy-makers and practitioners, and interested members of the general public.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781447317050
Publisher:	Bristol University Press
Publication date:	02/01/2015
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	250
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jessica Jacobson is Co-Director of the Institute for Criminal Policy Research (ICPR), Birkbeck, University of London, where Gillian Hunter is a Senior Research Fellow and Amy Kirby is a Research Fellow.

Table of Contents

Foreword: David Ormerod, Law Commission; Introduction;

The system: what is the Crown Court and what are its functions?;

Court process and performance: constructing versions of ‘the truth’;

Them and us: the divide between court users and professionals;

Structured mayhem: the organised yet chaotic nature of court proceedings;

Reluctant conformity: court users’ compliance with the court process;

Legitimacy: court users’ perceived obligation to obey, and what this is based on;

Conclusion.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“An insightful and timely account of justice as experienced by victims, witnesses and defendants at the Crown Court.” Professor Julian Roberts, University of Oxford

"I commend this book to students, lawyers and policy-makers. It provides a unique window on what is really going on, dispels myths, chronicles what is changing and shows what still needs to change." Penny Cooper, Professor of Law, co-founder and Chair of The Advocate's Gateway

“Exploring the ‘structured mayhem’ of court proceedings and the reluctant conformity marking court users’ participation and sense of legitimacy, the book offers a compelling glimpse of the realities of the courtroom entangled with routine case processing and moments of personal drama.” Professor Nigel Fielding, University of Surrey

Editorial Reviews

"A marvellous insight for those who are willing to face up to what others think of them. The blunt and genuine views of bruised witnesses and less-than-engaged defendants can make for difficult reading." Counsel Magazine

“This carefully constructed research study opens the doors of the Crown Court in a unique and engaging way revealing the formalities, misunderstandings, tension and sometimes tedium, considered judgements and the adversarial nature of British justice.” Juliet Lyon CBE, Director, Prison Reform Trust

"A fascinating account, and one which rings very true." Criminal Law Review

From the Publisher

A fascinating account, and one which rings very true.

Criminal Law Review

Inside Crown Court provides a comprehensive account of the experiences of victims, witnesses, and defendants who appear at the Crown Court in England and Wales. . . . This book offers a compelling and nuanced examination of a subject that is often unacknowledged or misunderstood by researchers and legal professionals alike. . . . [It is a] groundbreaking contribution to court research in England and Wales. . . . This work paves the way for additional research in a wider range of courts and suggests a closer examination of the experiences of different types of court users. This ambitious book will be of interest to researchers, legal practitioners, and policy makers who are interested in developing a better understanding of the impact of the process on court users and who may be seeking solutions to improve their experiences.

Criminology & Criminal Justice

I commend this book to students, lawyers, and policy makers. It provides a unique window onto what is really going on, dispels myths, chronicles what is changing, and shows what still needs to change.

co-founder and chair of The Advocate’s Gateway - Penny Cooper

A marvelous insight for those who are willing to face up to what others think of them. The blunt and genuine views of bruised witnesses and less-than-engaged defendants can make for difficult reading.

Counsel Magazine (UK)

An insightful and timely account of justice as experienced by victims, witnesses, and defendants at the Crown Court.

Julian Roberts

Exploring the ‘structured mayhem’ of court proceedings and the reluctant conformity marking court users’ participation and sense of legitimacy, the book offers a compelling glimpse of the realities of the courtroom entangled with routine case processing and moments of personal drama.

Nigel Fielding

This carefully constructed research study opens the doors of the Crown Court in a unique and engaging way, revealing the formalities, misunderstandings, tension and sometimes tedium, considered judgments, and the adversarial nature of British justice.

Juliet Lyon CBE