Criminal Justice Act 2003

Controversial and far-reaching, the new Criminal Justice Act 2003 is one of the most important pieces of criminal legislation ever passed. This comprehensive guide offers a clear explanation as to how the new law will affect current practice. It provides a quick overview of each of the new provisions, followed by a more detailed analysis with reference to appropriate cases and new and existing legislative provisions.

Major proposals contained in the Act include:-

• new charging methods for offences;
• street bail;
• reverse presumptions under the Bail Act for offending while on bail,
• failing to appear and abolition of high court bail;
• overhaul of disclosure provisions;
• retrial for serious offences;
• overhaul of hearsay provisions;
• new definition of bad character and overhaul of admissibility provisions;
• new prosecution appeals mechanism for termination rulings;
• complete overhaul of sentencing, including new regime for dangerous offenders and life prisoners
• introduction of new forms of custody including intermittent custody.

The book includes a copy of the Act in full and details of a website dedicated to keeping you abreast of implementation dates.