The word criminal may make people think of a murderer or a thief, but the term covers anyone who breaks the law. This can be anything from not paying a parking fine to committing a robbery. The key to writing accurate crime stories is understanding the law and being able to apply it to specific cases.
The most common crimes are theft, burglary and fraud. Stealing is when someone takes possession of property without permission and without destroying or damaging it. Burglary is breaking and entering a building, usually at night to steal something. Fraud is gaining advantage by lying in order to obtain money, goods or services. The decision of whether to prosecute an individual for a particular crime is a serious one, made by prosecutors who have a great deal of discretion. They take a number of factors into consideration such as the strength of evidence, the severity of the offence, the defendant’s criminal history and the wishes of any victims if there are any.
In the UK, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for courts, prisons and probation. It is led by the Justice Secretary who is also the Lord Chancellor. The Select Committee on Justice scrutinises the work of the Ministry. Justice reinvestment is the process of redirecting government funding away from prison places towards local community initiatives focused on early intervention and diversion. The Lammy Review is a 2017 review of the treatment and outcomes of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in the criminal justice system, conducted by David Lammy MP.