Judges
(1B) discuss the disadvantages of using lay magistrates to make decisions in criminal matters.
There are many disadvantages to using lay magistrates especially in criminal matters as this is mainly where lay magistrates work. These could consist of middle aged, middle class, prosecution bias, inconsistency of sentencing and reliance on the clerk.
Firstly, in relation to middle aged, middle class lay magistrates, the majority of lay magi...
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Judges
(1B) discuss the disadvantages of using lay magistrates to make decisions in criminal matters.
There are many disadvantages to using lay magistrates especially in criminal matters as this is mainly where lay magistrates work. These could consist of middle aged, middle class, prosecution bias, inconsistency of sentencing and reliance on the clerk.
Firstly, in relation to middle aged, middle class lay magistrates, the majority of lay magistrates are middle aged or retired and middle class, meaning they do not live in lower class areas where majority of crimes occur. Therefore they cannot relate to the crime in question. Also, if the defendant is of a different ethnic background to the majority of magistrates who are white and retired, they cannot grasp any real concept of what is going on in the area. When they are designated to that area they are supposed to have a concept and local knowledge of that area. Also the majority are retired meaning that they don￢ﾀﾙt have any real...
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