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Criminal Justice Act 1948

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Changes over time for: Criminal Justice Act 1948 (without Schedules)

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Version Superseded: 31/10/2009

Status:

Point in time view as at 01/10/2009.

Changes to legislation:

Criminal Justice Act 1948 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 24 November 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Part IE+W Powers and Proceedings of Courts

Abolition of penal servitude, hard labour, prison divisions and sentence of whippingE+W

1 Abolition of penal servitude, hard labour and prison divisions.E+W

(1)No person shall be sentenced by a court to penal servitude; and every enactment conferring power on a court to pass a sentence of penal servitude in any case shall be construed as conferring power to pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding the maximum term of penal servitude for which a sentence could have been passed in that case immediately before the commencement of this Act.

(2)No person shall be sentenced by a court to imprisonment with hard labour; and every enactment conferring power on a court to pass a sentence of imprisonment with hard labour in any case shall be construed as conferring power to pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding the term for which a sentence of imprisonment with hard labour could have been passed in that case immediately before the commencement of this Act; and so far as any enactment requires or permits prisoners to be kept to hard labour it shall cease to have effect.

(3)So far as any enactment provides that a person sentenced to imprisonment or committed to prison is or may be directed to be treated as an offender of a particular division, or to be placed in a separate division, it shall cease to have effect.

2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1E+W

Textual Amendments

3—12.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2E+W

Textual Amendments

13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3E+W

Textual Amendments

14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4E+W

Textual Amendments

15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5E+W

Textual Amendments

Powers relating to young offendersE+W

16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6E+W

Textual Amendments

17

(1)(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8

(4)(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9

(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F10

Textual Amendments

F9S. 17(4)(5) repealed by Magistrates' Courts Act 1952 (c. 55) s. 132(2), Sch. 6

18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11E+W

Textual Amendments

19, 20.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F12E+W

Textual Amendments

F12Ss, 19, 20, 48(2), 52, 76(2) repealed by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), Sch. 16

21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13E+W

Textual Amendments

22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F14E+W

Textual Amendments

23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F15E+W

Textual Amendments

24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F16E+W

Textual Amendments

F16Ss. 24–26, 28 repealed by Magistrates' Courts Act 1952 (c. 55), Sch. 6

Adjournment, remand, etc.E+W

25, 26.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F17E+W

Textual Amendments

F17Ss. 24–26, 28 repealed by Magistrates' Courts Act 1952 (c. 55), Sch. 6

[F1827 Remand of persons aged 17 to 20.E+W

(1)Where a court remands a person charged with or convicted of an offence or [F19sends him to the Crown Court for trial or commits him there for] sentence and he is not less than seventeen but under twenty–one years old and is not released on bail, then, if the court has been notified by the Secretary of State that a remand centre is available for the reception from the court of persons of his class or description, it shall commit him to a remand centre and, if it has not been so notified, it shall commit him to a prison.

(2)Where a person is committed to a remand centre in pursuance of this section, the centre shall be specified in the warrant and he shall be detained there for the period for which he is remanded or until he is delivered thence in due course of law.

(3) In this section “ court ” includes a justice; and nothing in this section affects the provisions of [F20 section 128(7) of the Magisrates’ Courts Act 1980 ] (which provides for remands to the custody of a constable). ]

28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F21E+W

Textual Amendments

F21Ss. 24–26, 28 repealed by Magistrates' Courts Act 1952 (c. 55), Sch. 6

29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F22E+W

Textual Amendments

Miscellaneous provisions relating to procedure, appeals, evidence, etc.E+W

30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23E+W

Textual Amendments

31 Jurisdiction and procedure in respect of certain indictable offences committed in foreign countries.E+W

(1)Any British subject employed under His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom in the service of the Crown who commits, in a foreign country, when acting or purporting to act in the course of his employment, any offence which, if committed in England, would be punishable on indictment, shall be guilty of an offence . . . F24, and subject to the same punishment, as if the offence had been committed in England.

(2), (3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F25

Textual Amendments

32, 33.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26E+W

Textual Amendments

34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F27E+W

35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F28E+W

Textual Amendments

36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F29E+W

Textual Amendments

37 Bail on appeal, case stated or application for certiorari. E+W

(1)Without prejudice to the powers vested before the commencement of this Act in any court to admit or direct the admission of a person to bail—

(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F30

[F31(b)the High Court may [F32, subject to section 25 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994,][F33grant bail to] a person—

(i)who, after the decision of his case by the Crown Court, has applied to the Crown Court for the statement of a case for the High Court on that decision, or

(ii)who has applied to the High Court for an order of certiorari to remove proceedings in the Crown Court in his case into the High Court, or has applied to the High Court for leave to make such an application.]

(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F34

[F35(d)the High Court may [F32,subject to section 25 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994,]grant bail to a person who has been convicted or sentenced by a magistrates’ court and has applied to the High Court for an order of certiorari to remove the proceedings into the High Court or has applied to the High Court for leave to make such an application.]

[F36(1A) Where the court grants bail to a person under paragraph ( d ) of subsection (1) above—

(a)the time at which he is to appear in the event of the conviction or sentence not being quashed by the High Court shall be such time within ten days after the judgment of the High Court has been given as may be specified by the High Court; and

(b)the place at which he is to appear in that event shall be a magistrates’ court acting for the same petty sessions area as the court which convicted or sentenced him.]

(2), (3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F37

[F38(4)Criminal Procedure Rules may be made for authorising the recommittal, in such cases and by such courts or justices as may be prescribed by the rules, of persons released from custody under this section.]

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F39

(6)The time during which a person is [F40released on] bail under paragraph (b), . . . F41 or (d) of subsection (1) of this section shall not count as part of any term of imprisonment under his sentence; and any sentence of imprisonment imposed by a court of summary jurisdiction, or, on appeal, by [F42the Crown Court], after the imposition of which a person is so [F40released on] bail, shall be deemed to begin to run or to be resumed as from the dayon which he is received in prison under the sentence; and for thepurposes of this subsection the expression “prison” shall be deemed to include a detention centre and remand home and the expression “imprisonment” shall be construed accordingly.

Textual Amendments

F31S. 37(1)(b) substituted by Courts Act 1971 (c. 23), Sch. 8, para. 28(1)

F32Words in s. 37(1)(b)(d) inserted (10.4.1995) by 1994 c. 33, s. 168(2), Sch. 10 para. 6; S.I. 1995/721, art. 2, Sch. Appendix A

F37S. 37(2)(3) repealed by Bail Act 1976 (c. 63), Sch. 3

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

38

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F43

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F44

(3)(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F45

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F46

(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47

F4839 Proof of previous convictions by finger–prints.E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

40. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F49E+W

Textual Amendments

41 Evidence by certificate.E+W

(1)In any criminal proceedings, a certificate purporting to be signed by a constable, or by a person having the prescribed qualifications, and certifying that a plan or drawing exhibited thereto is a plan or drawing made by him of the place or object specified in the certificate, and that the plan or drawing is correctly drawn to a scale so specified, shall be evidence of the relative position of the things shown on the plan or drawing.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F50

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F51

(4)Nothing in this section shall be deemed to make a certificate . . . F52 admissible as evidence in proceedings for an offence except in a case where and to the extent to which oral evidence to the like effect would have been admissible in those proceedings.

(5)Nothing in this section shall be deemed to make a certificate . . . F52 admissible as evidence in proceedings for any offence—

(a)unless a copy thereof has, not less than seven days before the hearing or trial, been served in the prescribed manner on the person charged with the offence; or

(b)if that person, not later than three days before the hearing or trial or within such further time as the court may in special circumstances allow, serves notice in the prescribed form and manner on the prosecutor requiring the attendance at the trial of the person who signed the certificate . . . F52

[F53(5A)Where the proceedings mentioned in subsection (1) above are proceedings before a magistrates’ court inquiring into an offence as examining justices this section shall have effect with the omission of—

(a)subsection (4), and

(b)in subsection (5), paragraph (b) and the word “or” immediately preceding it.]

(6)In this section the expression “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made by the Secretary of State.

Textual Amendments

F53S. 41(5A) inserted (4.7.1996 but with effect as mentioned in Sch. 1 Pt. III para. 39) by 1996 c. 25, s. 47, Sch. 1 Pt. II para. 18 (with s. 78(1)); S.I. 1997/683, art. 1(2)

42 Order of speeches.E+W

(1)Notwithstanding anything in section two of the M1Criminal Procedure Act 1865, as amended by section three of the M2Criminal Evidence Act 1898, the prosecution shall not be entitled to the right of reply upon the trial of any person on indictment on the ground only that documents have been put in evidence for the defence.

(2),(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F54

Textual Amendments

Marginal Citations

43. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F55E+W

Textual Amendments

44. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F56E+W

Textual Amendments

F56S. 44 repealed by Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1952 (c. 48), Sch.

Part IIE+W Administrative Provisions and Provisions as to Treatment of Prisoners, etc.

45—47.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F57E+W

Institutions for offendersE+W

48

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F58

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F59

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F58

(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F60

(5)–(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F61

49 Remand homes. E+W

(1)As from such date as may be specified in an order made by statutory instrument by the Secretary of State, no premises shall be used as a remand home unless a certificate of approval has been issued by the Secretary of State.

(2)The Secretary of State may by rules made under this Act apply to remand homes, with such adaptations and modifications as he thinks fit, the provisions of section seventy–nine and subsection (3) of section one hundred and six of the M3Children and Young Persons Act 1933 (which relate to the approval of schools for the purposes of that Act and the evidence of such approval).

(3)No person shall be appointed after the commencement of this Act to be in charge of a remand home established by a county council or a county borough council unless his appointment has been approved by the Secretary of State.

(4)Councils of counties and county boroughs may provide in remand homes provided for their areas facilities for the observation of any person detained therein on whose physical or mental condition a medical report may be desirable for the assistance of the court in determining the most suitable method of dealing with his case, or may, if facilities for observation are available at any other institution or place, arrange for the use of those facilities for the observation of any such person as aforesaid.

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F62

(6)Any expenses incurred by the council of a county or county borough in giving effect to arrangements made under subsection (4) of this section, and any sums paid by such a council under subsection (4) of the last foregoing section, shall be treated for the purposes of any grant under section one hundred and four of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, as expenses of the council in respect of remand homes.

Textual Amendments

F62S. 49(5) repealed by Children and Young Persons Act 1969 (c. 54), ss. 72(4), 73(1), Sch. 6, which repeal came into force 1.1.1971 by virtue of S.I. 1970/1498, art. 3, Sch. 1 appendix B

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Marginal Citations

50, 51.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F63E+W

Textual Amendments

Rules for Management of Prisons, Etc.E+W

52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F64E+W

Textual Amendments

F64Ss, 19, 20, 48(2), 52, 76(2) repealed by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), Sch. 16

53—59.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F65E+W

Textual Amendments

60, 61.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F66E+W

Textual Amendments

F66Ss. 60, 61 repealed by Prison Act 1952 (c. 52) s. 55(3), Sch. 4 Pt. II

62. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F67E+W

63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F68E+W

64. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F69E+W

MiscellaneousE+W

65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F70E+W

Textual Amendments

66 Legal custody. E+W

Any person required or authorised by or under this Act to be taken to any place or to be kept in custody shall, while being so taken or kept, be deemed to be in legal custody; and a constable, while taking or keeping any such person as aforesaid, shall have all the powers, authorities, protection and privileges of a constable as well beyond his constablewick as within it.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

67. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F71E+W

68. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F72E+W

F7369 Commutation of death sentence to sentence of imprisonment.E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

70 Amendments of Forfeiture Act, 1870.E+W

(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F74

(2)Where any pension or superannuation allowance has been forfeited under section two of the M4Forfeiture Act 1870, the authority by whom the pension or allowance was granted may restore the pension or allowance either in whole or in part:

Provided that no payment of pension or allowance in respect of any period before the commencement of this Act shall be made by virtue of this subsection.

Textual Amendments

Marginal Citations

71, 72.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F75E+W

Part IIIE+W Supplemental

73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F76E+W

74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F77E+W

75. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F78E+W

76 Rules and orders.E+W

(1)Any power of the Secretary of State to make rules under this Act shall be exercised by statutory instrument.

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F79

(3)Any power to make Orders in Council under this Act, and any power of the Secretary of State to make orders under this Act, shall include power to revoke or vary any such Order in Council or order by a subsequent Order in Council or order.

Textual Amendments

F79Ss, 19, 20, 48(2), 52, 76(2) repealed by Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), Sch. 16

77 Expenses and grants payable out of moneys provided by Parliament.E+W

(1)Any expenses of the Secretary of State under this Act . . . F80

shall, to such amount as may be sanctioned by the Treasury, be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

(2)—(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F81

(6)There shall be paid out of moneys provided by Parliament any sums by which any grants under section one hundred and four of the M5Children and Young Persons Act 1933 towards the expenses of councils of counties and county boroughs are increased by reason of any provisions of this Act.

(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F81

Textual Amendments

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Marginal Citations

F8278 Transitory provisions.E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

79

The enactments mentioned in the first column of the Ninth Schedule to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in the second column of that Schedule (being amendments consequential upon the foregoing provisions of this Act or relating to matters of minor detail).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C7The text of s. 79 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

80 Interpretation.E+W

(1)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meaning hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say:—

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F83

  • [F84Approved school ” means a school approved under section seventy–nine of the M6 Children and Young Persons Act 1933; ]

  • [F85Court” does not include a court–martial;]

  • Court of summary jurisdiction” includes examining justices within the meaning of the M7Criminal Justice Act 1925;

  • Detention centre” has the meaning assigned to it by section forty–eight of this Act;

  • Enactment” includes an enactment contained in a local Act and any order, regulation or other instrument having effect by virtue of an Act;

  • England” includes Wales;

  • Impose imprisonment” means pass a sentence of imprisonment or commit to prison in default of payment of any sum of money or for failing to do or abstain from doing anything required to be done or left undone;

  • Local authority” means, in relation to any probation area, any authority out of whose funds the salary of the clerk to the justices for a [F86petty sessions area] or place contained in the probation area is paid;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F87

  • Remand centre” has the meaning assigned to it by section forty–eight of this Act

  • [F88Remand home ” means premises established or used by the council of a county or county borough under the provisions of section seventy–seven of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933; ]

  • Sentence” includes an order for detention in a detention centre, . . . F89, but does not include a committal in default of payment of any sum of money or failing to do or abstain from doing anything required to be done or left undone;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F90

(2)Any reference in this Act to a previous sentence of imprisonment shall be construed as including a reference to a previous sentence of penal servitude; any such reference to a previous sentence of Borstal training shall be construed as including a reference to a previous sentence of detention in a Borstal institution; and any such reference to a previous conviction or sentence shall be construed as a reference to a previous conviction by a court in any part of Great Britain and to a previous sentence passed by any such court.

(3)Where the age of any person at any time is material for the purposes of any provision of this Act, or of any Order in Council made thereunder, regulating the powers of a court, his age at the material time shall be deemed to be or to have been that which appears to the court after considering any available evidence to be or to have been his age at that time.

(4)References in this Act to an offence punishable with imprisonment shall be construed, in relation to any offender, without regard to any prohibition or restriction imposed by or under [F91any enactment], upon the imprisonment of offenders of his age, but shall not be construed as including an offence for which the court is required to impose a sentence of imprisonment for life.

(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F92

(6)Where any provision of this Act empowers a court on conviction of an offender to pass a sentence or make an order in lieu of dealing with him in any other manner, the said provision shall not be construed as taking away any power of the court to order the offender to pay costs, . . . F93 or compensation.

(7)References in this Act to any enactment shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as references to that enactment as amended by any subsequent enactment including this Act.

81 Application to Scotland.E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F94 this Act shall not extend to Scotland.

Textual Amendments

82†Application to Northern Ireland.E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F95 this Act shall not extend to Northern Ireland.

Textual Amendments

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C8Unreliable marginal note

83 Short title, commencement and repeals.E+W

(1)This Act may be cited as the Criminal Justice Act 1948.

(2), (3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F96

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