Dati defends justice record

JUSTICE Minister Rachida Dati has defended her reforms after a series of political and personal attacks.

Her comments come after a petition against her “incoherent policies” was signed by more than 500 workers in the justice system, ranging from high level judges to presidents of courts up to appeal court level.

Such action is rare, given that it does not have any union backing.

At the end of October, Dati was further snubbed when representatives of the main magistrates’ union met with President Sarkozy to discuss the reforms without her.

The petition highlights “paradoxes” in the minister’s policies such as minimum sentences and sending repeat offenders back to prison while also demanding more flexible punishments.

More specifically, in reference to the death of a young detainee in a prison in Metz, it attacks her for wanting to “lock up more minors” while also shaming officers in the wake of young suicides.

Following the ‘Metz Affair,’ Dati personally visited the establishment and workers there claim they were interrogated late into the night giving the feeling they were being made scapegoats for systematic failures.

The Justice Ministry has denied the accusations.

“A suicide is always a dramatic event at the heart of a prison. It is normal in such an event, particularly when it involves a minor, that an inspection is ordered as soon as possible by the prison administration,” Dati told Le Figaro.

“Is it shocking that the minister for justice, without directly looking to discipline those responsible, should launch an inspection to find out about the conditions in which this young man was questioned and incarcerated?” she added.

The minister denied ordering late night interrogations and said: “Do you seriously think that when I order, or any minister orders, such an inspection, they tell the head of the operation exactly the way they should carry it out?”

“I admit I don't understand the content of this accusation, which is based on rumours that could get out of hand, especially while the highest local judicial authorities have denied that any such disciplinary inspection was carried out and have publicly declared that I had never spoke, at any time, about this decision,” she added.

“No officer can be shocked by such a step when the sole objective is to understand and eventually to prevent any such events in the future.”

When asked about the growing rift between her ministry and workers in the justice system she said: “The growing number of reforms, I recognise, is creating understandable unease at the heart of the justice system but while I understand the difficulties of workers I can’t accept their actions.”

“As justice minister I’m putting in place reforms demanded by the French and voted on by parliament which are essential to protect citizens, fight against repeat offenders and reintegrate criminals back into society.

“Parliament votes the law and the magistrates apply it,” she said.

“The Ministry of Justice has not been reformed in such a way for 50 years. It is normal that reforms like this produce reactions.

“My predecessors also faced criticism from judges but the laws we put in place are wanted by the French public,” added the minister.

Photo:Afp/Bertrand Langlois