JENGbA has launched an important crowdfunding appeal for a case at the Supreme Court.
Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association (JENGbA) is hoping to raise at least £10,000 for analytical work to be carried out by their lawyers, the human rights and criminal solicitors ITN, and barristers at Doughty Street.
The Supreme Court has been asked to conduct a fundamental review of the law of joint enterprise, in particular as it operates in murder prosecutions. It has been asked to answer two questions, one of which – whether joint enterprise ‘over-criminalises secondary parties’ – is key to JENGbA which supports hundreds of prisoners (convicted under joint enterprise) and their families.
The Joint Enterprise law is over 300 years old and was initially created to discourage the use of illegal duelling. Today, however, it is increasingly being used to prosecute people for violent crimes where they are alleged to have lent encouragement to the main perpetrator. In the last ten years it has frequently been used to prosecute all those present at the scene of a crime even where there is no evidence that the violence was planned and where there is little or no evidence that many of the alleged participants intended that the crime should be committed.
According to JENGbA:
The doctrine of Joint Enterprise leads to miscarriages of justice and any citizen who believes in natural justice should donate. Joint Enterprise creates more victims by giving innocent people mandatory life sentences. This can affect anyone. Joint Enterprise also disproportionately discriminates against poor and marginalised communities.
Related links
Read about the Crowdfunding bid here
Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association (JENGbA)
IRR News story: Joint enterprise, racism and BME communities
IRR News story: Second joint enterprise inquiry to examine impact on BME communities
IRR News story: JENGbA welcomes call for reform of joint enterprise
IRR News story: Joint enterprise: the long and winding road to reform
Read an article in the Independent: ‘Michael Gove urged to suspend use of “joint enterprise” laws amid claims they are used predominantly against black people‘