LONDON, England (PNN) - December 26, 2016 - Proposals allowing people to plead guilty to minor offenses online could erode the principle of open justice, campaigners have warned.
Changes to the Prisons and Court Reform Bill could see up to 900,000 people who are charged with offenses such as fare dodging and traffic violations, circumvent the court system by pleading guilty remotely.
They would also be able to accept the conviction and pay the fine, all at the touch of a button.
The idea is to save money, streamline the system, and free up magistrate courts to deal with more serious offenses.
But critics fear the proposals could be the thin end of the wedge and could seriously erode the principle of justice needing to be seen to be done.
The Magistrates' Association has warned that a shift away from a legal hearing taking place in open court in front of the judiciary may be "unpalatable for many people" and could "lower confidence in the criminal justice system."
Malcolm Richardson, who chairs the association, said, "We are concerned about the principle of handling entire criminal cases without the involvement of independent judicial decision makers. A core principle of our system is that justice is seen to be done and we don't see how clicking a button and staring at a computer screen with no judicial involvement represents that."
The proposals would initially only cover minor motoring offenses, fare dodging, and fishing without a license, but if successful the system could be rolled out to also include TV license evasion and fly-tipping.