Courts' race challenge

Black solicitors are more likely to perceive racism within the courts and to have actually witnessed it, a report released by the Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) revealed last week.

Only 43% of black lawyers said ethnic minorities are always treated fairly and with equal respect by the criminal courts, compared to 69% of white lawyers and 63% of Asian lawyers.

Academics commissioned by the LCD interviewed 112 lawyers - including 68 solicitors and 50 from ethnic minorities - for the report on the perception of how ethnic minorities are treated by the criminal courts.

Just 16% of all the lawyers were able to back up their opinion with specific examples - however, 30% of black lawyers were able to.

A total of 1,252 people, mostly defendants, were quizzed for the report.

It found that a third of defendants in Crown Courts and a quarter in magistrates' courts said their treatment had been unfair - irrespective of colour.

Only 25% of ethnic minority defendants in the Crown Court, and 10% in magistrates' courts, agreed that the reason for that unfair treatment was connected to race.

LCD minister Baroness Scotland said: 'The message is definitely one of the courts and judges moving in the right direction.'

Jeremy Fleming