According to the UK Green Party website the Green Party will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:

CJ320 The departments of Justice would combine the current functions of the Lord Chancellors Department and the Home Office in relation to the administration of justice. They would be responsible for the judicial system, sentencing policy and practice. They would support and fund victim assistance agencies such as Victim Support Schemes, Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Centres. They would also sponsor and support local alternative dispute resolution initiatives including Mediation Centres.

CJ321 The Department of Justice at the local level of government will organise the setting up of Local Mediation Centres and fund their running. These centres will not only offer mediation between victims and offenders but also mediation between personal or social groups in civil, domestic and neighbourhood disputes.

CJ322 In order to ensure more effective justice and reduced crime, resources will be targeted towards enhancing co-operation between the police, the Prosecution Service, defence services, mediation services and courts and towards providing all parties involved in the justice process with sufficient means to reach fair decisions through transparent due process.

I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Green Party’s Departments of Justice policies in the comments below?