NCJ Number
59456
Date Published
1978
Length
52 pages
Annotation
THIS PAMPHLET, AN OVERVIEW OF THE BRITISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DESCRIBES THE SYSTEM IN ENGLAND AND WALES, WITH REFERENCE WHEN NEEDED TO SCOTLAND AND NORTHERN IRELAND.
Abstract
IT STATES THAT THE AIM OF BRITISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY FROM DISORDER AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR WHILE ENSURING THAT OFFENDERS WHO BREAK THE LAW ARE DETECTED AND DEALT WITH ACCORDING TO WELL-DEFINED LEGAL PRINCIPLES. BROADLY SPEAKING, THERE ARE FOUR STAGES IN BRITISH CRIMINAL JUSTICE: THE ENACTMENT OF CRIMINAL LEGISLATION WHICH DEFINES PROHIBITED ACTS, ESTABLISHES CRIMINAL COURTS, AND PROVIDES FOR THE TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS; THE PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW; THE DETERMINATION BY THE COURTS OF THE GUILT OR INNOCENCE OF OFFENDERS AND THE SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE SENTENCES FOR THOSE FOUND GUILTY; AND THE TREATMENT OF CONVICTED OFFENDERS. THE PAMPHLET STATES THAT CRIMINAL LAW DEALS WITH WRONGFUL ACTS HARMFUL TO THE COMMUNITY AND PUNISHABLE BY THE STATE AND THAT IT LARGELY DERIVES FROM THE ANCIENT COMMON LAW AND FROM LAWS MADE BY PARLIAMENT. IN THE EVENT OF CONFLICT, HOWEVER, LEGISLATION TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THE COMMON LAW. EUROPEAN COMMUNITY LAW, CONFINED MOSTLY TO ECONOMIC OR SOCIAL MATTERS, ALSO STANDS ALONGSIDE DOMESTIC LEGISLATION AND THE COMMON LAW AND IN THE EVENT OF CONFLICT TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER THEM. ALTHOUGH THE UNITED KINGDOM IS A UNITARY STATE, ENGLAND AND WALES, SCOTLAND, AND NORTHERN IRELAND HAVE THEIR OWN LEGAL SYSTEMS, LAW COURTS, AND PENAL PROCEDURES. THIS BOOKLET IS DIVIDED INTO SEVEN SECTIONS DEALING WITH THE CRIMINAL LAW, CRIME STATISTICS AND RESEARCH, CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION, POLICE AND THEIR POWERS, PROSECUTION AND THE CRIMINAL COURTS, AND TREATMENT OF ADULT OFFENDERS AND YOUNG OFFENDERS. AN APPENDIX GIVES A LIST OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS AND SUGGESTED TITLES FOR FURTHER READING. (MJW)