Are court staff welcoming? Can defendants participate effectively? How is anyone supposed to follow legal jargon?

We're back with more insights from our volunteer courtwatchers! In the latest wave of observation, volunteers recorded reflections on more than 2,000 cases and the findings are out now.

Rob and Penelope are joined by courtwatcher Rosemin Najmudin and Jessica Jacobson, Professor of criminal justice at Birkbeck, University of London to discuss effective participation, intimidating attitudes from some court staff, perceived racial bias in the courtroom, and much more.

Rosemin Najmudin

Learn more about courtwatching: https://www.transformjustice.org.uk/focus-areas/courtwatch-london/

Jessica Jacobson

Find out more about Jessica's work on procedural justice: https://clinks.org/publication/procedural-justice-courts

Further resources

Read our courtwatchers' latest findings:

• Due dignity: how are defendants treated in London magistrates' courts? https://www.transformjustice.org.uk/publication/due-dignity-how-are-defendants-treated-in-london-magistrates-courts/
• Beyond reasonable delay : efficiency in London magistrates' courts https://www.transformjustice.org.uk/publication/beyond-reasonable-delay-efficiency-in-london-magistrates-courts-2/

Sign up to courtwatch across England and Wales: https://transformjustice.eo.page/courtwatchlondon

Transform Justice

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TransformJust1⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BlueSky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@transformjustice.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠policy@transformjustice.org.uk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Transform Justice podcast is hosted by Penelope Gibbs and Rob Allen and produced and edited by Alexandra Kimmons.