About this Forum

[Admin]

This forum is for us to talk about what sort of Justice System Wales should have. It probably goes without saying that Wales would retain a Common Law system in which our laws will remain the same as they are now ... although they will be modified over the years to the extent that our legislature makes new laws, as has been the case with most ex-Empire countries.

We will need a new ultimate court of appeal (which might well also be the ultimate arbiter of the Constitution) and a new body to conduct public prosecutions; but apart from that, little need change. But we might want it to, and we can discuss that here. We should also consider how we organize and administer civil law, family law and the like.

This is also the place to discuss the way the police force is organized. Should we have a national force or independent regions? Will we need special forces for things like transport, drugs and terrorism? At the other end of the scale, to what extent should we rely on non-commissioned law enforcement, such as community support officers? And should local authorities continue to be responsible for enforcing matters like parking and dropping litter?

How should our prisons work, and where should prison fit into the range of punishment options available? How do we rehabilitate offenders and make better use of probation? Should we consider introducing restorative justice, considering crime to be primarily an offence against people and communities rather than the state? If so, should we give victims of crime some say in the punishment of offenders?

This is also likely to be the best forum in which to discuss matters relating to border control, customs, asylum, immigration and deportation.