Guidance about the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 and the Serious Crime Act 2015
The Home Office’s Serious Crime Act and the Ministry of Justice’s Criminal Justice and Courts Act recently received Royal Assent; this update includes operational guidance about each piece of legislation.
Criminal Justice and Courts Act
Please find attached operational guidance and advice about the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015. A copy of these documents can be found here. The Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 received Royal Assent on 12 February 2015. Across its five parts the Act:- introduces new criminal offences;
- amends the sentencing and release arrangements for convicted offenders; and
- amongst other things, delivers the Government’s package of judicial review reforms.
Serious Crime Act
Please also find attached a circular detailing the provisions in the Serious Crime Act 2015 that will come into force on either the 3 May or the 1 June 2015. The Serious Crime Act received Royal Assent on 3 March.The following provisions come into force on 3 May:
- Amendments to the Computer Misuse Act 1990, including the new offence designed to ensure that sentences for serious attacks on computer systems fully reflect the damage they cause;
- The new offence targeting people who knowingly participate in an organised crime group;
- The extension of the scope of Serious Crime Prevention Orders;
- New powers to seize, detain and destroy chemical substances suspected of being used as cutting agents for illegal drugs; and
- The new offence of possessing ‘paedophile manuals’.
- Amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002;
- Extension of the scope of gang injunctions;
- The new offence of unauthorised possession of a knife or other offensive weapon in prison.
Copies of both Acts can be found at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/.
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