About the awards
The Justice Awards were established by the Attorney General, the Rt. Hon Baroness Scotland of Asthal QC, then Minister of State for the Home Office in 2004.
Thousands of people across the Criminal Justice System (CJS) do an amazing job. Every day their dedication makes a dramatic difference to people's lives. The Justice Awards recognise exceptional achievement among staff and volunteers working in criminal justice. It's your chance to make sure that outstanding performers get the credit they deserve.
The awards are now in their fifth year, and have succeeded in becoming a highly regarded national scheme which promotes excellence and best practice. Our aims are to:
- recognise outstanding achievement in a variety of fields and boost the confidence of our front line staff and volunteers;
- spread the word about the many stories of dedication and courage found in our modern Criminal Justice System; and
- improve the system as a whole by sharing information and ideas on what works best.
To be eligible for an award, you must be a team or individual, working or volunteering in the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales. This includes:
- the police
- Crown Prosecution Service;
- Her Majesty's Courts Service (including Magistrates' and Crown Court)
- Her Majesty's Prison Service;
- National Probation Service;
- Youth Justice System;
- Criminal Defence Service (including the Public Defender Service); and
- Any other organisation or body connected to criminal justice, for example the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Office, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships or Community Safety Partnerships.
We also welcome nominations from any voluntary organisation that works with adult or young people who are victims, witnesses, defendants or offenders.
There are 15 categories covering different areas of work in the CJS. In each category, one winner and two runners up are chosen. The Justice Shield is awarded to the one winner judges feel is the most exceptional performer out of all the nominees. Nominations for 2008 will run from the 12 May to the 4 August, and finalists and winners will be announced at a special ceremony in London on 21 October. To find out more about the Justice Awards ceremony, please visit the Ceremony 2007 page for details of last year's event.
If you need any further information on any aspect of the awards, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.