Justice Organisation

The Justice Organisation"' is a UK based not-for-profit organisation, set up to create and manage campaigns, which sets out to improve civil society, nationally and internationally, that promote fairness and fair play for all, especially in relation to: disability, age, sexual gender, race and religious beliefs [ [http://www.justiceorganisation.org/ Welcome ] ] .

A secondary goal is to establish or support any charitable trusts, associations or institutions formed for all or any of the organisations ‘objects’.

The Justice Organisations first campaign; Justice-and-Sight, is a campaign to put reading spectacles in police stations, and Immigration Detention Centers to assist those people detained without having glasses with them. The Justice Organisation aims to bring to attention the problem to the public, then to find a solution with the assistance of donors and the authorities involved.

The organisation recently met with the Home Office [the Parliamentary under-Secretary Rt. Hon Vernon Coaker MP. The campaign is supported by the Hon Bob Russell MP (born 1946), British Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee. The government are looking into this issue with the police and Ministry of Justice Other areas the Justice Organisation is exploring for the provision of free reading spectacles such as hospitals, mental heath wards, government offices and libraries. Primarily, anywhere people might have have to sign legal documents and who could be at a disadvantage in not having reading spectacles.

Justice-and-Sight

Justice-and-Sight is a campaign to assist people held in detention in police stations in the UK to fully enjoy their civil rights. Later the organisation wants to move into other initiatives under the ‘Justice-and’ brand name. These may be international issues. The Justice Organisations stated goal is to encourage the police to deploy reading spectacles in police stations.They are also looking at other locations; Immigration Removal Centers, hospitals airports and ports, Job Centre Plus offices and Libraries. Once achieved they aim to create awareness of their availability, in the police station environment, Citizens Advice Bureau offices, Libraries and Community Information Center’s by posters and other marketing material, provided by the Justice Organisation. Having established the principal, that reading glasses should be available for detainees; the second part of their mission is to source, fund and manage the stock of reading spectacles, and to promote their availability. Following being arrested, people can feel angry, frustrated, confused frightened and overwhelmed – the chief aim is to enhance and protect the rights of those people who might find themselves in difficult circumstances; people who need to be able to read and understand their rights and obligations. They aim to compliment, not confront the police, but the focus is to help those unfortunate enough to need t organisations help. On being arrested a detained person will be required to read and sign a range of forms. A Breathalyser test can now proceed without a legal advisor being present, and this requires a lengthy form being completed. If you’re detained, you are given a booklet CofP which outlines your legal rights and defines your relationship with the police. If you do not have reading glasses, and need them, this sizable booklet is of no use at all. After a period of detention a detainee will be provided with magazines and other reading material. Without reading spectacles, people can find this long period of boredom very unpleasant. A detainee can also request a Bible, and again if someone cannot read this inspiring literature, in a time of crisis, they may not find the spiritual guidance and comfort to cope with their difficult circumstances.
* They are also researching the need for free reading spectacles in Immigration Detention Centre’s - indications have already identified a need for their use by detainees, particularly in Immigration Removal Centers.
* These unfortunate people arrive in these centre’s, often without any of their belongings and can be in a very distressed and disorientated condition. People who are arrested may not have their glasses with them; it seems an important principal, (particularly with in an aging European population), that reading spectacles are always available if required. Their role is not to pass judgment on those who might need this initiative, just to see that individuals are not disadvantaged, by what in essence seems a small oversight.

References

Bob Russell MP,Rt Hon.Vernon Coaker MP, Parlimentary under-Secretary Home Office.

Categories; Civil Liberties,Prisoners Rights,The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) (1984 c. 60)