You be the Judge

The website allows users to hear the details of an offence, consider an appropriate sentence and then see how their judgement compares with that of the actual court.

Supported by the St. Helens Community Safety Partnership (CSP), the site provides four case study examples for online users to sentence, including cases about criminal damage, knife-crime, burglary and anti-social behaviour – all having a set of individual circumstances for the judge to consider.

Maria Hazelby, a local resident who signed up for the Community Crime Fighters training scheme – equipping citizens to play a more active role in fighting crime – said: “I found this site very interesting - it was like sitting in a court and watching what was going on. It demonstrates how sentencing is passed fairly and it does give a better understanding of what actually goes on.”

Councillor Sue Murphy, Cabinet member for Safer Communities, Youth and Neighbourhoods said: “The aim of ‘You Be The Judge’ is to demystify the sentencing process. It prompts you to ask questions and consider a number of different factors to reach a verdict - giving residents the opportunity to sit in the judge’s chair and pass sentences in real-life court cases”

To participate, go to www.cjsonline.gov.uk/ybtj