advantages

• What are the advantages of lay magistrates?

  • Diversity
  • Magistrates live/work near the courts
  • Low appeals rate
  • Cheap
• How is a diversity an advantage of using magistrates?

  The system involves members of the community which produces a wider cross-section of society than professional judges: 53% of magistrates are women.
• How is magistrates living/work near the courts an advantage?

  The magistrates know the area better and are more aware of local crime patterns.
• How is low appeal rates an advantage of using magistrates?

  Few defendants appeal against magistrates' decisions, where there are appeals, it's against the sentence, not the conviction, meaning the public have confidence in them.
• How is using magistrates being cheap an advantage?

  Government money is saved as a result: the cost of replacing magistrates with paid district judges is estimated at £100 million a year.