Author: Margaret Parker

  • Criminal Justice Policy

    Criminal justice policy: UK Legal History Criminal Justice Act 1877 The Criminal Justice Act of 1877 remained in force until 1948, and was subject to reformist criticism during the inter-war period. Sir Maurice Waller and Sir Alexander Paterson were members of the Prisons Commission, and were […]

  • Homosexuality

    Homosexuality: UK Legal History Despite the Wolfenden Report of 1957, male homosexuality was not decriminalised in Britain until 1967. Until that time, a homosexual act was considered by law to be a criminal offence. Related documents Wolfenden Report Sexual Offences Act 1967 Search using […]

  • Commonwealth Immigration Control and Legislation

    Commonwealth Immigration control and legislation: UK Legal History The Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962 In 1960, the Home Secretary, Richard 'Rab' Butler, pressed for legislation, and the Cabinet appointed a committee. Butler oversaw the production of the Bill that became the […]

  • Abolition

    Controversy and abolition: UK Legal History The Homicide Act 1957 During the late 1940s and early 1950s, there were several high profile murder cases, including those of Bentley and Craig, Evans and Christie, and Ruth Ellis. The imposition of the death penalty in these cases was extremely […]