Hello, I'm Mrs. Barry and I'm going to be your citizenship teacher today.

We've got a really interesting lesson where we're going to practise some learning we've already done.

If any of this is new to you though, that's okay, because I'm here to help and we'll go through it all and by the end, we'll achieve our outcome.

So when you're ready, we can get practising.

Today's lesson comes from the unit Practising What We've Learned, and today's lesson is called How Does the Justice System Work in the UK? Our outcome for today is to explain what justice means and how justice is carried out in the UK.

So let's make a start.

During this lesson, there's going to be a few key terms that we look at.

One of them is justice, which is fairness as a result of the application of the law, usually by a judge in society.

Another is rule of law, which is the principle that all individuals within a state, including government and leaders, are subject to the same laws and must follow them.

It ensures fairness, justice, and accountability in society.

And we'll also be using sentencing, which is the process of giving a punishment to a person found guilty in a court case.

Our lesson day takes two parts.

Firstly, we'll be looking at what does justice mean and then we will consider how is justice carried out in the UK.

So let's get started with this first part, what does justice mean? This lesson is going to help you revise key concepts for GCSE Citizenship Studies.

Justice in the UK is built on the principle of the rule of law.

This means that everyone is subject to the law no matter who they are, even members of Parliament, judges, or the Prime Minister.

For example, in 2022, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, was fined for breaking COVID-19 lockdown laws, showing that no one is above the law.

This principle upholds fairness by ensuring laws are applied equally to all.

The UK follows parliamentary sovereignty, which means parliament has the highest legal authority to make and change laws.

Once laws are passed, they apply to everyone and cannot be ignored, even by government officials.

This is central to justice, as it prevents those in power from abusing it.

Let's finish this sentence.

The rule of law means what is able to access justice? Is it A, judges, B, members of Parliament, C, prime minister, or D, everyone? So the rule of law means everyone is able to access justice.

Well done if you got that right.

Justice also includes the right to access legal support and a fair trial.

For example, if someone is arrested, they are entitled to a duty solicitor free of charge.

This ensures that everyone, regardless of income, can get legal advice.

Victims of crime can also receive justice through the court system.

They have the right to see offenders prosecuted and sentenced appropriately.

The ombudsman and organisations like Victim Support ensure that the rights of victims are protected.

For example, Victim Support offers emotional support and guidance.

This access to justice supports a fair and balanced system that treats both victims and suspects equally.

So, let's fill in these missing words.

If someone is arrested, they have a right to a duty, what? The what and organisations like Victim what help everyone access what, supporting a fair and what system? Have a look at those and see if you can fill them in.

So, if someone is arrested, they have a right to a duty solicitor.

The ombudsman and organisations like Victim Support help everyone access justice, supporting a fair and balanced system.

Well done if you managed to fill all those in.

Justice in the UK is upheld through a system of courts that specialise in different areas of law.

For example, magistrates' courts deal with crimes like minor theft or public disorder.

All criminal cases begin here.

However, more serious crimes will be heard in the crown courts, for example, robbery or murder.

Civil courts deal with personal disputes, often to do with rights like family or housing issues, and the Supreme Court handles the most important legal cases and appeals.

So, let's think about the structure.

This structure ensures that justice is served fairly and efficiently by suitable courts designed to handle specific types of cases.

For example, a drinking-driving offence would likely be handled in the magistrates' court, while a murder trial would go to the crown court.

So let's try and match the court with the crime.

So there's three courts here on the left, one, magistrates' court, two, crown court, and three civil court.

And the crimes here are A, murder, B, housing dispute, and C, public disorder.

Can you match the court with the crime? Okay, so magistrates' court, a public disorder would be dealt with there, in the crown court a murder would be dealt with there, and therefore a housing dispute would be dealt with in the civil court.

Well done if you matched those up.

Justice also involves fairness in how cases are decided.

For example, juries are used in crown court trials to ensure decisions are made by ordinary members of the public rather than just legal experts.

Legal appeals are also allowed.

So if someone believes a mistake is made in their trial, they can challenge the decision in a higher court.

This process ensures fairness and accuracy in the justice system.

For example, the Post Office Horizon System Offences Act 2024 caused many convictions and sentences that were unfairly served during the Horizon scandal.

By December 2024, the Horizon scandal involved over 700 sub-postmasters being wrongly accused and prosecuted for theft, fraud, and false accounting between 1999 and 2015 due to faults in the Post Office's Horizon IT system.

The miscarriage of justice is now being addressed through public inquiries, legal appeals, which have led to quashed convictions, and new legislation in 2024 to fast track the clearing of victims' names and offer compensation.

Let's have a look at these statements.

The statements below are all incorrect.

Identify the one mistake in each statement and correct it.

So the first statement says, "The crown court deals with things like parking fines." The second one says, "Only lawyers can be on a jury." And the third statement says, "The government has not passed any laws to deal with the Horizon scandal." So, these are what the correct statements should look like.

The crown court deals with things like major crimes, such as murder.

All citizens can be on a jury.

And the government has passed the Post Office Horizon System Offences Act 2024 to deal with the Horizon scandal.

Well done if you spotted and corrected all those mistakes.

Let's practise what we have learned here.

So in two paragraphs, I'd like you to explain how the UK justice system ensures fairness for both victims and accused individuals.

You need to include access to justice, fair trials, victims' rights, and types of courts.

Jun asks us here to also add at least one example and he says he would explain the rule of law.

So in two paragraphs, try and include all of those different elements and once you've given it a go, come back and we can have a look at what you might have put.

Well done for giving that a go.

Let's have a look at what we might have put.

And just to remind you, I'd asked you to explain how the UK justice system ensures fairness for both victims and accused individuals.

Your answer might have included, "The UK justice system ensures fairness for both victims and accused individuals by guaranteeing access to justice and applying the rule of law.

For example, anyone arrested has the right to a duty solicitor, regardless of how much money they have, ensuring legal support is available to all.

Victims also have rights through services like Victim Support, which offers emotional help and guidance through the court process.

Justice is upheld by having different courts, such as the magistrates' courts for crimes like shoplifting, and the crown court for crimes like murder, so cases are handled fairly and appropriately." Your answer might continue to say, "There are many examples that show fairness.

For example, in 2022 Boris Johnson was fined for breaking COVID-19 lockdown laws, proving that no one is above the law, not even a prime minister, demonstrating the rule of law in action.

Similarly, the Horizon Post Office scandal showed how the justice system can correct serious errors made against accused individuals.

Over 700 sub-postmasters were wrongly convicted, but their appeals are now being heard and many have been cleared, with new laws in 2024 speeding up compensation and justice.

These examples show how justice can be delivered fairly for both the guilty and the wrongly accused." Well done if your answer had all of those elements in it and sounded similar to this.

We're onto the second part of our lesson now, which is how is justice carried out in the UK? The justice system works by delivering fair outcomes through sentencing that reflects the seriousness of the crime committed.

Sentencing is decided by a judge or a magistrate and is based on the severity of the offence, the circumstances, and the law.

The rule of law prevents any bias being shown when sentencing is decided.

There are many different types of sentences which are based on the crime committed.

These include prison sentence, suspended sentence, community order, and fines.

Not all crimes lead to prison, but each sentence still aims to deliver justice.

The purpose of sentencing is not just about punishment.

It also includes deterrence, protection, rehabilitation, and reparation.

These aims work together to support justice for all.

Sentencing is designed to be appropriate to the crime, so justice is not about being harsh, but about being fair.

For example, someone who commits a violent assault may receive a prison sentence while someone convicted of shoplifting might receive a non-custodial sentence such as a fine or a community order.

Someone who is unlikely to reoffend might be given a suspended sentence.

The courts consider mitigating factors such as age, mental health, and whether the person has pleaded guilty or not.

Justice is served not just by punishing, but by preventing future crimes and repairing harm.

So let's fill in these missing words.

The first sentence says the purpose of what is to match the punishment to the crime.

Secondly, the court may be given a what sentence if a person is unlikely to reoffend.

And lastly, whether the defendant pleads what often makes a difference to their sentence.

Okay, so the purpose of sentencing is to match the punishment to the crime.

The court may give a suspended sentence if a person is unlikely to reoffend.

And whether the defendant pleads guilty often makes a difference to their sentence.

Well done if you filled those all incorrectly.

The justice system also includes alternatives to prison.

Restorative justice allows offenders to meet with victims and understand the impact of their crime.

For example, in a youth crime case a young person who vandalises a community centre might meet the staff and apologise, agreeing to volunteer there for a month.

Rehabilitation is another key part of justice.

Programmes like drug treatment or anger management are sometimes included in a sentence to help offenders change their behaviour.

There are also different types of sentences depending on the crime and the court.

For example, the youth court deals with people age 10 to 17 and often gives community orders or reparation activities.

The magistrates' court handles less severe crimes and can give up to six months in prison.

All cases start here.

The crown court can give longer sentences and therefore deals with more serious crime.

This structure ensures justice is proportionate and specialised depending on the situation and severity.

Let's finish this sentence.

People aged 10 to 17 who have committed a crime are dealt with in a what court? Is it A, magistrates', B, crown, C, youth, or D, supreme.

So people aged 10 to 17 who have committed a crime are dealt with in a youth court.

Well done if you got that right.

Justice is protected by other laws as well as the rule of law.

The victim's code was established by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and came into effect in 2006.

It applies to all criminal justice agencies, including the police, Crown Prosecution Service, Courts Service, and the Probation Service.

These agencies are responsible for making sure citizens receive their legal rights as victims of crime.

These rights are made clear in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, supported by the UK in 1948.

There are 12 legal rights within the Victim's Code which include the right be able to understand and to be understood, refer to services that support victims and have services and support tailored to your needs, provided with information about compensation, able to make a victim personal statement, given information about the trial, trial process, and role as a witness, and provided with information about the outcome of the case and any appeals, and also given ways to make a complaint if rights are not being met.

So is this true or false? The Victim's Code was established by the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004 and came into effect in 2006.

So that one's true.

Well done if you remembered that.

If our rights are met, justice is more likely to be achieved.

Justice in the UK is also supported by the use of early intervention and sentencing guidelines that help courts stay consistent and fair.

For example, the sentencing council provides detailed advice to judges and magistrates so that sentencing is fair and proportionate.

There are minimum and maximum sentences for each crime type, which are usually set by Parliament, and judges will use their legal experience to decide the most appropriate sentences within those limits.

For example, if two individuals commit assault, they will be sentenced based on the same national framework, no matter where they live or who they are.

This promotes equality and public confidence in the justice system.

These national guidelines written by the Sentencing Council, also prevent bias or unfair outcomes and reassure the public that similar actions receive similar consequences.

As a result, justice is not only done but also seen to be done, which is vital in maintaining trust in the legal system.

There is also a range of legal professionals who make sure justice is carried out in the UK.

For example, judges protect legal rights by applying the law, ensuring fairness, and advising on appropriate sentencing.

Legal executives assist in case preparation, ensuring accessibility to legal services and specific law areas.

Solicitors provide legal advice, prepare cases, and represent clients in legal matters.

Barristers, who specialise in courtroom advocacy, defending clients or prosecuting cases in crown court.

Legal professionals uphold our rights, ensuring justice is served through fair legal representation and the rule of law is followed.

Some legal professionals can be seen in these two different court layouts.

Firstly, we have an illustration of the layout of an adult magistrates' court.

Within that court you have the witness, the magistrates, clerk to the court, lawyers for the prosecution and defence, court usher, the defendant, and then various other people too.

Next, we have an illustration of the layout of a youth court.

So within this you'd have a district judge, a lay magistrate, the child, a parent or guardian, witness box, prosecutor, legal representation, court clerk, probation officer, youth court representative, and a court security officer.

Legal professionals help maintain justice by ensuring that the legal process is followed fairly and consistently for everyone.

They uphold the rule of law by making sure that legal rights are respected.

The role of the legal professional also includes ensuring that both victims and the accused are treated equally within the judiciary and legal system.

The judiciary refers the entire judicial structure, including judges.

So what I'd like you to do is explain one way in which legal professionals help carry out justice in the UK.

So legal professionals help maintain justice by ensuring that the legal process is followed fairly and consistently for everyone, making sure the rule of law is maintained.

Well done for giving that a go.

Let's bring that all together now and practise what we've learned.

So describe how sentencing helps deliver justice in the UK.

You need to include aims of sentencing, types of sentences, and the use of rehabilitation.

Well done for giving that a go.

Let's have a look at what you might have put.

So I asked you to describe how sentencing helps deliver justice in the UK and your answer might look something like this.

"Sentencing helps deliver justice in the UK by ensuring that punishments reflect the severity of the crime and uphold the rule of law.

The aims of sentencing include punishing the offender, protecting the public, producing through deterrence, rehabilitating offenders, and making reparations to victims. This ensures that justice is not only about punishment, but also about fairness and preventing future harm.

Sentences are guided by national standards set by the Sentencing Council to protect the rights of the accused and maintain consistency in how justice is applied." Your answer might look like this.

"There are different types of sentences depending on the crime and circumstances, including prison, community orders, fines, and suspended sentences.

For example, someone who commits a serious assault may be sent to prison, while a person guilty of minor fraud could be given a non-custodial sentence like community service.

Rehabilitation is also a key part of justice.

Programmes such as drug treatment or anger management are often part of a sentence to help offenders change their behaviour.

These approaches support justice by addressing the causes of crime while still respecting the rights of both victims and offenders." Well done for giving that a really good go.

So in today's lesson, we've considered how the justice system works in the UK.

The UK justice system is based on the rule of law, which ensures that everyone is treated fairly and equally under the law.

Justice includes access to legal advice, fair trials, and support for both victims and those accused of crimes.

Sentencing plays a key role in delivering justice through a range of punishments such as prison, community orders, and fines.

These sentences are chosen based on the severity of the crime and are designed to punish, rehabilitate, and protect the public.

Legal professionals protect the rights of both victim and accused and ensure legal processes are followed.

Overall, the justice system aims to balance fairness, accountability, and the rights of everyone involved.

Well done for working through today's lesson with me.

I've really enjoyed doing that and I look forward to seeing you in a citizenship lesson soon.