3 April 2025

The legal dragnet: Joint Enterprise law and its implications

Courts and sentencing, Young adults

Read the report

This report examines the law and prosecution practice concerning secondary liability, often referred to as ‘Joint Enterprise’. Focusing on homicide cases, it highlights the risks posed by the current ambiguous law and makes a case for creating a safer framework for prosecution. It finds that Joint Enterprise laws are vague and wide in scope, causing systemic injustice, including over-criminalisation, over-punishment, discriminatory outcomes, and convictions where there is no compelling evidence of intent and a defendant’s physical contribution is minimal. The report is part of the Young Adult Safety project at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. This project aims to strengthen advocacy about the key aspects of serious violence that affect young adults.

Joint Enterprise
The legal dragnet: Joint Enterprise law and its implications

'The legal dragnet' examines the law and prosecution practice concerning secondary liability, often referred to as 'joint enterprise'.

Police, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs), stop and search
Serious Violence Disorders: The impression of doing something

In this briefing the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, in collaboration with StopWatch, analyse the introduction of Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs), which were introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Gypsy, Romany, Traveller people, young adults
Trapped in the Turnstile: Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people’s experience of the criminal justice system

This report offers first-hand insights into young Romany, Roma, Gypsy and Traveller people's experiences of the criminal justice system.