C-u-in-crt – Courts could chase criminals by text

Thursday 29 December 2005 at 5:31 pm | In News | Post Comment

We hav n idea wot DIS iz 2 do w yor syllabus, bt we c%d not resist it. 2 cr8 DIS txt we Usd d transl8r @ www.transl8it.com whch wiL transl8 it bak 4 U.

Magistrates’ courts across England and Wales could soon text fine evaders demanding they pay up, after the initiative was successfully used in the Midlands recently.

Courts are also looking at sending automated reminders by text, email or phone to fine evaders, offenders who don’t do their community service and those who fail to attend court. The planned new offensive would ensure offenders comply with orders of the court, and provide an additional enforcement tool when they ignore their legal obligation.

Courts aim to use modern technology to speed up debt collection, compensate crime victims and ensure justice is done. It also sends a message to criminals that the justice system is one step ahead of them and it won’t tolerate failure to respect the courts.

The hi-tech way of chasing persistent offenders was used recently in Staffordshire during the national fines blitz, Operation Payback 3. Staffordshire magistrates’ court set up an automatic system for contacting offenders. It involved sending a “pay up or get locked up” message to about 150 fine evaders’ mobile phones.

It worked! The element of surprise frightened about three quarters of the offenders into paying up immediately. Because it was so successful, it may form part of the National Enforcement Service (NES) which will be tested next April and come into effect a year later

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