History of the Criminal Cases Review CommissionUntil 31 March 1997 the Home Secretary dealt with applications by people claiming to be victims of miscarriages of justice, while in Northern Ireland the issue fell to the Secretary of State to consider. Both could refer cases back to the Court of Appeal.
On 14 March 1991 the then Home Secretary announced the establishment of a Royal Commission on Criminal Justice to be chaired by Viscount Runciman of Doxford.
This followed growing concern about a succession of miscarriages of justice which had undermined public confidence, including the Birmingham Six which was specifically referred to by the Home Secretary in announcing the commission.
The Royal Commission was charged with examining the effectiveness of the Criminal Justice System in securing the convictions of the guilty and the acquittal of the innocent.
The Royal Commission’s report was presented to Parliament in July 1993 and recommended the establishment of an independent body to:
- Consider suspected miscarriages of justice
- To arrange for the investigation where appropriate
- Refer cases to the Court of Appeal where matters needed further consideration
The Criminal Appeal Act 1995 was subsequently passed, enabling the establishment of the Criminal Cases Review Commission as an executive Non-Departmental Public Body.
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