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Browse \ Tags \ Criminal Law
Coronavirus Act 2020: What is a Reasonable Response to a Pandemic?
The Coronavirus Act 2020 was rushed through Parliament in the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic with little scrutiny at the time. This piece examines the Act's delegated powers, sometimes-vague drafting, and inconsistent enforcement, and ultimately asks how effective a response it really is.
12:00, 7th July 2020
Prosecuting Rape: Is the CPS Raising the Bar Too High?
The End Violence Against Women Coalition has recently launched a legal challenge against the CPS for wrongfully dropping rape cases as conviction rates plummet. Has the CPS strayed from established policy, or is this simply a result of austerity and systemic issues in our justice system?
12:00, 8th October 2019
The Right Call? Defining "Use of a Phone" While Driving
The High Court recently handed down a judgment on what constitutes "using" a mobile phone while driving. The effect of the case is clear, but the judgment itself is not so clear in its reasoning, and may create unnecessary difficulties for prosecutors in motoring cases.
12:00, 17th September 2019
Sentencing Reform: Should We Scrap Short Sentences?
British prisons are increasingly overcrowded and underfunded. Senior figures at the Ministry of Justice have suggested a reform of sentencing laws might help to ease overcrowding and better rehabilitate prisoners by restricting short prison sentences - but would it actually work?
12:00, 10th September 2019
Jury Confidentiality Rules: Protector of Honesty or Enabler of Injustice?
Jury confidentiality rules, preventing the disclosure or solicitation of details of jury deliberations in any criminal trial, achieve many legitimate purposes. However, many judges have had to ignore glaring accusations of jury misconduct as a result, risking serious miscarriages of justice.
12:00, 30th July 2019
The Woolcock Case: Prison for Failing to Pay Council Tax?
Council tax serves a vital function in requiring citizens to assist in funding necessary local services, such as schools and social care. However, should non-payment of council tax - a civil debt - result in imprisonment?
12:00, 4th June 2019
Book Review: ‘Doing Justice’ by Preet Bharara
Preet Bharara, the former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, published his first book, 'Doing Justice: A Prosecutor's Thoughts on Crime, Punishment, and the Rule of Law'. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the law, politics, and anything in between.
12:00, 9th April 2019
Hooding the Horrible? Spit Hoods, Reasonable Force and Human Rights
It was recently announced that spit hoods - meshed sacks placed over the heads of people that have spat at police officers - will be issued to frontline police officers. However, these hoods have important human rights implications and potentially deadly consequences.
12:00, 26th March 2019
Domestic Abuse Bill: Migrants Falling Through the Cracks
The recently proposed Domestic Abuse Bill represents a great step towards protecting vulnerable persons that would otherwise continue to face life-threatening danger every day of their lives. However, it doesn't go far enough - specifically, migrants and minorities fall through its cracks.
12:00, 15th March 2019
'In Your Defence: Stories of Life and Law': An Interview with Sarah Langford
'In Your Defence' follows the the stories of eleven individuals, the details drawn from multiple real-life cases. In conversation with Keep Calm Talk Law, barrister and author Sarah Langford discusses life at the bar for women, motivations for writing and the crumbling criminal justice system.
12:00, 5th March 2019
Assaults on Emergency Workers: Protecting the Protectors or an Empty Promise?
Parliament recently passed the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 in an attempt to 'protect the protectors' by ensuring those that assault emergency workers receive double sentences. However, does this actually make any difference or is it simply a hollow policy?
12:00, 29th January 2019
Self-Defence: More Complicated Than It Seems?
The complexity surrounding the concept of ‘self-defence’ is often underestimated. The expectation that a defendant will be acquitted of a crime because they acted to protect themselves or someone else paints a deceptively simplistic picture of what is, in reality, a difficult defence.
12:00, 14th December 2018
Grenfell Tower Fire: A Turning Point for Corporate Manslaughter?
The Grenfell tower fire in June 2017 proved to be the largest loss of life in London since World War Two. Due to its seriousness, the tragedy could set yet another milestone in the shape of sculpting the law surrounding the recently created 'corporate manslaughter' offence.
12:00, 20th November 2018
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