EVERYBODY wants justice, but what if you can’t express yourself or are too tongue-tied to achieve it?
That’s the subject of a special talk organised by the Bromsgrove Justice and Peace Group to be given by Court Appointed Intermediary Tina Pereira.
Entitled ‘Vulnerability and the Justice System’ it focuses on those who, for whatever reason, find it impossible to give a fair account of themselves.
“The justice system across the world is inherently biased towards those who can speak articulately,” said Tina.
“When police officers interview someone, they typically expect those individuals to use full spoken sentences to communicate and in court, barristers and judges usually also expect the same from those in the witness box.
“However not everyone is able to speak coherently, accurately and completely.
“People with some kind of vulnerability – for example children, those with autism, a learning sisability, stroke or dementia may be disadvantaged because of their difficulty with understanding and communicating.”
She added: “We pride ourselves in being a just society and therefore it is essential that all individuals should be able to access the justice system equitably and fairly.”
The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act (1999) was enacted to provide a special measure that allows the use of trained intermediaries like Tina in a criminal investigation.
Intermediaries are communication specialists legally allowed to facilitate communication between vulnerable people and justice professionals at police interviews and in court.
Vulnerability and the Justice System is at the Parish centre, St Peter’s Church, Bromsgrove on Tuesday, November 15 at 7.30pm.
