Prevention of Harm—Legislative Strategies for Law Reform

Abstract

This article looks at the development of preventative civil measures with criminal sanctions and the ways in which they are influencing criminal law. It argues that serious crime prevention orders in Part 1 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 are a part of this trend and further, that they undermine traditional notions of due process. The provisions of Part 1 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 are contrasted with Part 2 of the Act. The article also argues that the new inchoate offence of encouraging and assisting crime and the Law Commission proposals for conspiracy will provide sufficient measures against future harm therefore obviating the need for civil preventative orders.