IfJ is a registered charity with a vision of opening the ‘accessible door’ to justice; where all people understand the questions they are asked and can tell what has happened.
IfJ promotes and supports the work of intermediaries, who are communication specialists working with vulnerable people in the justice system.
The project is run with the aim of breaking the barriers between victims of miscarriages of justice and those who can change or influence the law. We have four events planned around England…
During the last few months IfJ has been very busy with outreach work and meeting our aims and objectives as a charity of raising public awareness about the role of the intermediary. We have given presentations to the Youth Liaison & Diversion Clinical Network. There was little knowledge of…
Joyce Plotnikoff and Richard Woolfson's young witness report for the NSPCC, 'Falling short? A snapshot of young witness policy and practice' was published on 26th February, 2019. Please find the full report here - https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/media/1672/falling-short-snapshot-young-witness-…
IfJ have been invited to voice the views of intermediaries on a Defendant Engagement Panel. This is what led IfJ to take part in the HMCTS Court Reform Update in November 2018, where we fed in thoughts about the reforms and their impact on the communication of vulnerable adults and children,…
A detailed article by Philippa Budgen about Oliver, a specially trained 'justice facility dog', who provides emotional support to children and vulnerable people giving evidence in traumatic legal proceedings. Read Philippa's article here. https://philippabudgen.com/2018/12/31/meet-oliver-the-…
Good news! IfJ put in a bid for funding from the Legal Education Foundation (LEF). We are delighted that we have been successful and have been awarded £30,000. This is brilliant news and will enable us to put into action many of our aims and projects.
The potential for criminal justice professionals to experience secondary trauma is increasingly recognised: the risk increases for those whose caseloads consist largely of child abuse cases. In Australia, pilot intermediary programmes are underway in New South Wales and Victoria. In Victoria,…
Solicitor Tracey Emmet reflects on the recent use of eye gaze technology in a trial where the witness was assisted by RI Clare Park. Click here to read the article
