Criminal Law Reform Now Network

 

Launched in 2017, the mission of the Criminal Law Reform Now Network (CLRN Network) is to facilitate collaboration between academics and other legal experts to gather and disseminate comprehensible proposals for criminal law reform to the wider community. We include members of the public and mainstream media as well as legal professionals, police, policymakers and politicians. Our proposals might require legislation but we do not restrict ourselves to such projects. Reforms which public bodies such as the Home Office, Police or CPS can bring about by internal policies interest us, as do reforms which require the support of some of the judiciary, bearing in mind the proper judicial constraints on law making. We are ready to consult with and make suggestions to anyone who has the power to bring about reform.

 

We are grateful to have received funding for our network and individual projects through the AHRC; the ESRC; the Society of Legal Scholars; the University of Sussex; the University of Birmingham; and the University of Cambridge.   

 

A. Network Conferences and Association

1) The Criminal Law Reform Now Conference and Books

2) Association with the Criminal Law Team at the Law Commission for England and Wales

 

B. Network Projects  

CLRNN 1: The Computer Misuse Act 1990 - Report Published (2020)

CLRNN 2: The system of Private Prosecutions

CLRNN 3: Consent and Deception - Report Published (2023)

CLRNN 4: The Regulation of Drugs

CLRNN 5: International Co-Operation and Extradition 

 

Follow us @CLRNNetwork and on our YouTube Channel 

 

News

07 Sep 23

 

New Law Commission link; and New Project

 

The Criminal Law Reform Now Network (CLRNN) is pleased to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with the Law Commission of England and Wales, facilitating a closer working relationship and the increased exchange of ideas. The MoU, the first of its kind, sets out agreement for

 

  • The institution of periodic meetings between the Law Commission and CLRNN to discuss potential law reform projects;
  • The receipt from CLRNN (and public acknowledgment from the Law Commission) of proposals and reports that would address the feasibility, value and scope of potential law reform projects;
  • The joint discussion of ideas and the provision of feedback from the Law Commission to CLRNN so as to increase the potential value of CLRNN ideas to the Law Commission; and
  • The receipt from CLRNN of invitations to attend and/or present at relevant conferences on areas of mutual interest. The MoU will initially run for two years.   

 

Under the second heading of the MoU, the CLRNN is also pleased to announce a new project exploring reform options in relation to International Co-Operation and Extradition (ICE), led by Dr Gemma Davies. The CLRNN has been invited to undertake the ICE Project by the Law Commission Criminal Law Commissioner – Professor Penney Lewis – following the Commission’s 14th Programme consultation. CLRNN will conduct a scoping study to examine whether a law reform project in these areas may be warranted and, if so, what the scope of a project might be. We expect to deliver a Report to the Commission by the end of 2024, and will make the Report publicly available thereafter.

            The CLRNN welcomes any and all engagement from stakeholders, including criminal law academics and practitioners. For updates (and to get involved) in this and/or our other reform projects, please keep checking the website; follow us on twitter/X @CLRNNetwork; our YouTube Channel; and (new) via LinkedIn.       

   

05 Jun 23

 

The CLRN Network Welcomes Sandra Paul as a New Member of the Committee

 

Sandra is a partner in the Criminal Litigation & Investigations team at the law firm Kingsley Napley. We are extremely grateful to Sandra for agreeing to join the CLRNN Committee; we look forward to working her across our various ongoing criminal law reform projects.

   

 

18 Jan 23

 

CLRNN 3 - REPORT - Reforming the Relationship between Sexual Consent, Deception and Mistake

 

Final report published here.

 

Committee