Criminal Justice Act 2003 Essay

549 Words3 Pages
The criminal justice act 2003 was introduced to modernise many areas of the criminal justice system of England and Wales. It amends the previous act relating to police powers of bail, disclousure, prosecution and sentences etc. It allows offences to be tried by the judge sitting alone without a jury in cases of jury tampering. It also allows special circumstances where defendants can be tried twice for the same offence when new and compelling evidence is introduced. This act was introduced to allow police more power to stop and search when they only suspect, also police can offer cautions without taking offences further. However, this act didn’t meet with universal apporoval, civil liberty groups and the legal profession opposed to several measures in the bill as many innocent people were released from years in imprisonment after this bill was introduced. The crime and…show more content…
Since this act was introduced, there seems to be a significant change into the cause of crime and how the police are dealing with it. The police reform act 2002 was introduced to improve things like the conduct of police forces, police officers and other people who carry out police related functions. This act also created the roles of the PCSO’s and amended police powers and provided powers for non-police officers relating to anti-social behaviour. PCSO’s, have the power to issue fixed penalty notices for traffic offences, littering and dog offences. They can require your name and address when they believe a person has committed a crime/offence. However, PCSO’s are not attested constables and therefore do not have the same powers of arrest under section 24 of the police and criminal evidence act 1984.PCSO’s are entitled to use reasonable force in order to effect an
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