Centre for court administration and new sheriff recruits announced

VICTORIA - As government continues to enhance the province's justice system, today, while touring the New Westminster campus of the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC), Attorney General Shirley Bond announced a new training program for court administration staff and a date for the new, incoming recruits for deputy sheriff training.

The Centre for Court Administration, a partnership between the Ministry of Attorney General and JIBC, is under development, with a launch date of early 2012. In its initial stages, the priority will be on new employees and training for staff in specialized areas of court administration work, such as criminal registry operations and court clerking.

Details are being finalized, but the program will include a combination of online courses, virtual classroom work and in-person training at JIBC campuses in New Westminster and throughout the province. The first courses are anticipated to be offered in the next few months.

The JIBC is also responsible for training sheriff recruits. In November, 34 deputy sheriffs graduated and are now working in courthouses throughout the province. The next class will have 24 sheriff recruits and commence on Jan. 23, 2012. B.C.'s more than 460 sheriffs work in 45 courthouses and 44 circuit courts in communities across British Columbia.

A priority for the Province of British Columbia is to look for new ways to enhance the province's justice system. This is being done through innovation and reform, as well as adding new resources. Government continues to introduce new initiatives that take matters out of courtrooms, find efficiencies and increase capacity. With 14 new provincial court judges appointed over two years and the ongoing hiring of court administrators and sheriffs, government continues to invest critical resources in the justice system.

Quotes:

Attorney General Shirley Bond-

"We are very pleased to be partnering with the JIBC on this new program. They have an exceptional track record in training many of the people involved in our justice system, from the police on the street to the staff in our courtrooms."

JIBC president Jack McGee -

"JIBC is committed to ensuring that communities and courtrooms across the province are served by professionals who receive the finest education and training possible and contribute to a continuum of safety - from prevention to response to recovery. We look forward to working with court administration staff to develop a program that meets their needs."

Quick Facts:

• The Ministry of Attorney General court services branch has more than 700 court administration staff located in more than 45 locations provincewide.
• They include court clerks, registry clerks and technicians, senior registry technicians and managers who directly support the judiciary and provide a vital service in communities across the province for lawyers and the public using the justice system.
• JIBC delivers education and training to about 30,000 students annually, with a mandate to act as a justice and public safety education institution for British Columbia.

Learn More:

Ministry of Attorney General, court services branch: http://www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/.

Justice Institute of BC: http://www.jibc.ca/.

Media Contacts:

Dave Townsend
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Attorney General
250 387-4962
250 889-5945 (cell)

Valder Belgrave
Communications and Marketing Manager
Justice Institute of British Columbia
604 528-5874