The Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) are hosting a major conference, "Human rights and the administration of justice - implications for devolution" on 23 September 2010. The CAJ is an independent non-governmental human rights organisation that was established in 1981 and that works to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights in Northern Ireland by reference to internationally agreed human rights standards.
CAJ has worked on criminal justice since its inception in 1981. More recently, in the last twelve years in particular the organisation has sought to contribute to the changes that were supposed to arise from the Good Friday Agreement commitment to "deliver a fair and impartial system of justice to the community; be responsive to the community's concerns, and encouraging community involvement where appropriate; have the confidence of all parts of the community; and deliver justice efficiently and effectively." CAJ has done this, inter alia, by making submissions to the Criminal Justice Review and the subsequent implementation acts, contributing to the oversight process and responding to criminal justice policy debates more generally. CAJ also produced in 2006 a major report on "Change and devolution of criminal justice and policing in Northern Ireland: International lessons." As devolution of criminal justice powers now gets underway, and to mark the ten year anniversary of the publication of the report of the Criminal Justice Review, CAJ would like to take the opportunity to reflect on what change has taken place, and what remains to be done to ensure greater transparency, accountability and human rights compliance within the criminal justice system.
As such, CAJ are planning a major conference that will bring together in an inclusive way the key stakeholders in the criminal justice system, particularly those working in the system itself as well as human rights groups, lawyers, academics, political representatives, victims, and community and voluntary organisations. A high level speaker from the Department of Justice and the Lord Advocate of Scotland, the Rt Hon Elish Angiolini QC, will be addressing the conference. In addition, there will be panel discussions on taking a human rights approach to the administration of justice, oversight and accountability of the prosecution service, prison reform and political party perspectives.
As places for the conference will be limited, please register your interest with events@caj.org.uk and CAJ will then confirm your place closer to the time and send you a conference agenda.