Criminal Courts and Lay People Flashcards
Unpaid, part-time judges who have no legal qualifications but hear cases in the Magistrate’s courts.
Lay Magistrates
Courts which are presided over by magistrates that deals with minor offences and holds preliminary hearings for more serious ones.
The Magistrate’s Courts
Crimes that can be proceeded against summarily, without the right to a jury trial and/or indictment.
Summary offences
Criminal offences that can be heard in the magistrates’ or Crown Court.
Either-way offences
The committee in the local area which selects and recruits magistrates.
The Local Advisory Committee
The person who has been delegated the responsibility of appointing Magistrates on behalf of the Queen.
The Lord Chancellor
The organisation responsible for training Judges in County, the Crown, Higher Courts and Tribunals Judges.
The Judicial Studies Board
Training which magistrates receive that covers matters such as the organisation of the bench, the administration of court and the roles and responsibilities they have.
Initial training
When a newly trained magistrate is given a mentor to give the support required to develop competencies.
Mentoring
An induction course to give magistrates the required knowledge to sit in court.
Core training
Training which helps magistrates prepare for their first appraisal.
Consolidation training
When a magistrate who has been specially trained will sit on the bench and observe whether the new magistrate successfully demonstrates the competences.
First appraisal
Proceedings held in the Magistrate’s Court, after a criminal complaint has been filed by the prosecutor, to determine whether there is enough evidence to require a trial.
Preliminary hearings
Deciding the punishment which an offender will receive for criminal behaviour.
Sentencing
The measures taken to achieve justice.
Punishment
Repaying or giving back to the victim of a crime.
Reparation
Giving offenders the skills they need to prevent them from re-offending.
Rehabilitation
Preventing possible crimes, whether it is individual deterrence or general deterrence.
Deterrence
Mitigating the risks to the public of potentially dangerous individuals.
Public protection
Preventing offenders from re-offending.
Individual deterrence
The prevention of possible offenders from committing crimes.
General deterrence
Judicial sentences consisting of mandatory custody of the convict.
Custodial sentences
Monetary penalties which have been imposed upon individuals who have been convicted of a crime.
Financial penalties
Set amounts of unpaid work given to convicts to give back to the community.
Community sentences
When a defendant is found guilty of a crime but is given no punishment as it would be inappropriate.
Discharge sentences
Factors which reduce the sentence which a judge gives.
Mitigating factors
Factors that increase the sentence which a judge gives.
Aggravating factors
A public body which issues guidelines on sentencing in the UK.
The Sentencing Council
Non-binding guidelines that inform sentencing.
Sentencing guidelines
