Overview

This book analyses, explains, and evaluates the Government's flagship criminal justice legislation, the Criminal Justice Act 2003. It provides an accessible commentary on the wide ranging and complex changes introduced by the Act, which will leave few areas of the criminal justice system untouched. The Act starts with changes to police powers, bail, cautioning, and pre-trial disclosure, and moves on to the abolition of committal proceedings and the introduction of the possibility of trials on indictment without juries. It then goes on to provide for prosecution appeals and a broad range of offences where a trial following acquittal can exceptionally be allowed. The rules on evidence are significantly reformed providing firstly, a much wider basis on which evidence of bad character (including previous convictions) can be admitted, and secondly, for the admissibility of hearsay 'where it is not contrary to the interests of justice' to admit it. The Act also provides a major restatement and reform of the sentencing framework and the provisions for release on licence, and abolishes most of the categories of exemption from the duty to perform jury service.Anyone working in the Criminal Justice System or interested in its operation will welcome this guide, which provides invaluable insights into the purposes of the Act and a detailed explanation of its provisions. The book also includes the full text of the Act.

Full Product Details

9780199267255

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Reviews

...this book must be seen as essential for all those involved in investigating and prosecuting crimes. P.H. Law, December 2004

`...the authors consider each particular area of the Act in considerable and lucid detail, enabling the reader to make sense of the complex provisions, and also put them into context of the existing law.' Public Health Law `...this book enables those concerned with working with the Crimanal Justice system to have an easy to read access to the changes, explained clearly & concisely...Another singular advantage og the book is that it includes a complete copy of the Act which is not only an aid to cross referencing when reading the narrative, but is a useful addition to any library.' Public Health Law `Review from other book by this author lucid and helpful ... a welcome addition to Blackstone's valuable series of such guides. ... as good a route map to the constantly changing legislation as one would find anywhere. ... what is so remarkable is that the authors make the legislative reforms so accessible to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. ... [It will be] of considerable use not only to court clerks, judges, magistrates and lawyers practising in the criminal courts, but also social workers, probation officers, youth offending team workers and others involved in youth justice work and victim support, as well as academics desperately trying to keep up with the legislation.' Dr Loraine Gelsthorpe, Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University - Youth Justice, October 2001 `this new edition maintains its reputation as an authoritative and attractive text for criminal lawyers' Irish Law Times No 20 `The author's wry comment on the size and breadth of the Act's changes will not be lost on those who have undertaken the recent Judicial Studies Board training. This book will be a very useful addition to a bench library to complement that training material...The authors reserve their sympathy for those of us who have to implement the changes in court on a daily basis. That task will be easier if this book is available in your bench library, as I am sure that it will be referred to regularly for an answer to a specific point and a deeper understanding of the Act as a whole.' Andrew Vickers (M C and former Justices' Clerk and Training Officer), Magistrate Volume 61, Number 7

`...the authors consider each particular area of the Act in considerable and lucid detail, enabling the reader to make sense of the complex provisions, and also put them into context of the existing law.' Public Health Law `...this book enables those concerned with working with the Crimanal Justice system to have an easy to read access to the changes, explained clearly & concisely...Another singular advantage og the book is that it includes a complete copy of the Act which is not only an aid to cross referencing when reading the narrative, but is a useful addition to any library.' Public Health Law `Review from other book by this author lucid and helpful ... a welcome addition to Blackstone's valuable series of such guides. ... as good a route map to the constantly changing legislation as one would find anywhere. ... what is so remarkable is that the authors make the legislative reforms so accessible to lawyers and non-lawyers alike. ... [It will be] of considerable use not only to court clerks, judges, magistrates and lawyers practising in the criminal courts, but also social workers, probation officers, youth offending team workers and others involved in youth justice work and victim support, as well as academics desperately trying to keep up with the legislation.' Dr Loraine Gelsthorpe, Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University - Youth Justice, October 2001 `this new edition maintains its reputation as an authoritative and attractive text for criminal lawyers' Irish Law Times No 20 `The author's wry comment on the size and breadth of the Act's changes will not be lost on those who have undertaken the recent Judicial Studies Board training. This book will be a very useful addition to a bench library to complement that training material...The authors reserve their sympathy for those of us who have to implement the changes in court on a daily basis. That task will be easier if this book is available in your bench library, as I am sure that it will be referred to regularly for an answer to a specific point and a deeper understanding of the Act as a whole.' Andrew Vickers (M C and former Justices' Clerk and Training Officer), Magistrate Volume 61, Number 7

Author Information

Richard Taylor is Professor of English Law and Head of School at Lancashire Law School, University of Central Lancashire. Martin Wasik is Professor of Criminal Justice at Keele University, and Chairman of the Sentencing Advisory Panel. Roger Leng is Reader in Law at Warwick University.

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