Your Rights Under the Criminal Justice & Police Act 2001

The primary purpose of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 is to put policies in place which are aimed at combating crime and disorder within our local community. It deals with issues regarding elements of Anti-Social Behaviour In The Neighbourhood and for the imposition of ‘on the spot’ fines for other offences as well as being concerned with other issues.

Alcohol Consumption In Public Places

While it is not illegal to drink outside of licensed premises in certain areas, there has been an increase in the number of locations in which the law has now designated these areas as being ‘alcohol-free zones’. In these alcohol-free zones you are not allowed to drink outside of licensed premises.

These measures have been introduced not with the intention of interfering with the general public’s human rights, but as a step to trying to curb anti-social behaviour that can result as a consequence of people consuming alcohol out on the streets. It’s also aimed at reducing the number of incidents of underage drinking which has increasingly blighted our communities over the past few years, as well as reducing the number of alcohol-related crimes in particular.

If a person is either suspected of being under the legal age and drinking alcohol in public or is an adult drinking outside of a licensed premises on the street in a designated ‘alcohol free’ zone, a police office does have the power to force the offender to surrender the alcohol and failure to comply can lead to an on-the-spot fine and possible arrest.

On-The-Spot Fines

There are many offences which might be deemed ‘minor’ to some members of the public but which are taken seriously by the police. The police can then issue on-the-spot fines for these kinds of offences. These can include, but are not limited to:

• Wasting police time or making a false report
• Making hoax calls to the fire brigade
• Trespassing onto a railway line and/or throwing stones or other objects at trains
• Buying or attempting to buy alcohol for consumption by a person under the age of 18
• Disorderly behaviour in a public place while drunk

Other Issues

The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 also makes provisions for dealing with individuals or groups of people who are knowingly Harassing Other Members Of The Community. This can cover issues such as threats of violence or any other form of malicious communications, which includes harassment or intimidation over the phone or by letter, for example.

Although not an exclusive list, the Act also gives the police powers in relation to the following:

• Seizure of documents and other items which could provide evidence in a crime investigation
• Seizure of passports and travel restriction notices on people convicted of certain drug offences
• Intimidation and/or harming of witnesses in a court case

It also lays out your rights as a member of the public when it comes to issues such as being interviewed by the police, fingerprinting, the use of sound and video recording equipment when taking statements and during questioning, and other rights you have if you are taken into custody by the police.

The Act, ultimately, aims to maintain a decent standard of law and order which, as citizens and residents of our local community, we should all be entitled to.