Thousands of ordinary people from all walks of life are being called on by the Government today (3 January) to volunteer their time to delivering justice by becoming a magistrate.
- Everyday heroes from all backgrounds wanted to deliver justice in local communities across the country
- Over 2,000 magistrates recruited in the last three years
- Part of Government's Plan for Change to deliver swifter justice for victims and to protect the public
Over 2,000 extra magistrates have been trained since 2022 and this new, ambitious recruitment drive aims to boost the magistracy by the same number again in just the next financial year.
Magistrates are representative of the communities they serve. Latest figures show that 57% of magistrates are female and 14% come from an ethnic minority background, with London having the highest proportion of magistrates from an ethnic minority background at 31%.
Magistrates play a vital role in delivering justice locally. They are all volunteers and are expected to dedicate a minimum of 13 days a year to sitting on cases, meaning many magistrates can fulfil this crucial role easily alongside full-time employment and caring responsibilities.
Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, said:
Magistrates play a vital role in our court system - hearing thousands of cases across every jurisdiction and delivering justice.
They are everyday heroes - and we need more people of every age and background to volunteer not just to deliver justice but to serve and represent their local communities.
Volunteering to become a magistrate can make a real difference to your life and the lives of others - that's why I'm calling on the public to apply and play your part.
New research shows that 45 percent of people in England and Wales would consider volunteering in the next 12 months.
The Ministry of Justice has launched a new call for people across England and Wales to volunteer and help deliver swifter justice for victims.
All magistrates are given robust training and an experienced mentor in their first year to develop their skills and legal knowledge.
They are also supported with specialist legal advisors to allow them to deal with a range of cases. The top qualities that the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary look for in potential candidates are good communication skills, a sense of fairness and the ability to see an argument from different sides. Candidates are being sought to fill positions across all jurisdictions including criminal work, youth cases, as well as certain civil and family proceedings.
