David Blunkett is to stop middle class professionals "copping out" of jury service.

"It is vital that it represents as wide a cross-section as possible and the middle class cop-out of jury service should be eliminated," he will say in a speech later today. "The jury system needs to be representative to be strong."In his first keynote speech after Lord Justice Auld's sweeping review of the criminal justice system, the home secretary will pledge action to ensure that juries are representative. "Judges, lawyers, doctors and other professionals should be obliged to serve on juries. The current exemptions for jury service should be removed and juries should be drawn from all sections of society," he will say.

The Auld review had proposed that all bar the mentally ill should be eligible for jury service, but the government is draw the line at the recommendation of up to three jurors being taken from ethnic minorities in race cases. Blunkett believes that race-based jury quotas would lead to similar demands for other types of crimes.

In a speech to the centre-right think tank CIVITAS Blunkett will back calls for "common sense sentencing" to rebuild public trust and confidence in the legal system. "It is crucial that we get common sense back into sentencing, and that we ensure that we are clearly seen to be on the side of the victim, not the perpetrator."

Blunkett will also back the introduction of specialist drug and domestic violence courts - despite opposition form Lord Justice Auld.

The home secretary will argue that domestic violence courts are needed to provide "a sensitive and supporting role" in cases where children are often involved. Drug courts, he will say, will put drug rehabilitation and testing at the centre of the process.

Blunkett will also spell out his concerns over a politicised judiciary and in particular the growing use of judicial review to challenge government decisions.

And he will challenge lawyers to work "practically" with government in the delivery of justice.

"Lawyers are paid to represent clients; but, if that is all they are required to do, then I think we should all say so. If it is a trade, let's say so," he will say. "If it is a profession, then let's have a debate on the relationship between criminal justice system representatives, and accountability and democratic processes."

A government white paper will be published in the spring, with legislation set for the parliamentary session beginning in November 2002.