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National Security vs Criminal law. Perspectives, Doubts and Concerns on the Criminalisation of Organised Crime in England and Wales

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Abstract

This paper will interpret and critically analyse the new offence for organised crime in England and Wales (Section 45 of the Serious Crime Act 2015) from a criminological perspective in light of evidence found in research in the country. It will argue that changes in the law relate to changes in political narratives rather than to variations in the criminal panorama of organised crime. It will discuss these changes within three perspectives, which address various levels of concern: a narrative perspective, which reflects on the overlapping of meanings in the use of the words ‘organised crime’; an evolution perspective, which reflects on the origins of the new participation offences with reference to both national and international pressures; a management perspective, which reflects on some of the immediate effects of the new offences of organised crime on the criminal justice system. This paper will conclude that political narratives have indeed influenced criminal policy, while there is no significant change in the phenomenon of organised crime to justify such narratives.

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Notes

  1. Practice Direction (Crime: Conspiracy) [1977] 1 W.L.R.537 clarifies that the judge is required to call upon the prosecution to justify the joinder and, if not satisfied, might ask the prosecutor to elect either count of conspiracy or count for substantive offence.

  2. Section 45 (4) Serious Crime Act 2015: Activities are within this subsection if—

    1. (a)

      they are carried on in England or Wales, and

    2. (b)

      they constitute an offence in England and Wales punishable on conviction on indictment with imprisonment for a term of 7 years or more.

  3. Section 45 (5) Serious Crime Act 2015: Activities are within this subsection if—

    1. (a)

      they are carried on outside England and Wales,

    2. (b)

      they constitute an offence under the law in force of the country where they are carried on, and

    3. (c)

      they would constitute an offence in England and Wales of the kind mentioned in subsection (4)(b) if the activities were carried on in England and Wales.

  4. Section 45 (7) Serious Crime Act 2015:

    For a person to be guilty of an offence under this section it is not necessary—

    1. (a)

      for the person to know any of the persons who are members of the organised crime group,

    2. (b)

      for all of the acts or omissions comprising participation in the group’s criminal activities to take place in England and Wales (so long as at least one of them does), or

    3. (c)

      for the gain or benefit referred to in subsection (3) to be financial in nature

  5. Section 45 (9) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years.

  6. Section 45 (8) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that the person’s participation was necessary for a purpose related to the prevention or detection of crime.

  7. Impact Assessment Serious Crime Bill 2014/15 - Home Office Note 02/06/2014

  8. Terrorism Act 2000, sections 11-12

  9. Impact Assessment Home Office Note 02/06/2014

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  1. Centre for Criminology - Department of Sociology, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, CO43SQ, Colchester, UK

    Anna Sergi

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Sergi, A. National Security vs Criminal law. Perspectives, Doubts and Concerns on the Criminalisation of Organised Crime in England and Wales. Eur J Crim Policy Res 22, 713–729 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-016-9304-3

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