Rough Justice: Citizens’ Experiences of Mistreatment and Injustice in the Early Stages of Law Enforcement

Rough Justice recounts the experiences of victims of police and criminal justice failings through the stories of some who fought back, often with amazing commitment and courage. Their feelings encompass frustration, confusion, helplessness and anger. Their encounters affected their trust, certainty and confidence in British justice, sometimes for a lifetime.

In 2006 Prime Minister David Cameron declared the police the ‘last great unreformed public service’ but Governments have dodged fundamental change. Police still investigate and often ‘clear’ themselves, and avoid prosecution more than Joe Public. A minority practice deception and dubious tactics to obscure what is happening. At a time when the Home Office is reviewing police integrity and discipline, the book also looks at the manipulation of crime statistics, argues that the Independent Police Complaints Commission is unfit for purpose and points to unfairness underpinning a crisis of legitimacy.

As former Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer commented, ‘Britain’s criminal justice system fails the vulnerable’. It lets down law-abiding people too (including MPs) through free-style policing and a ‘because we can’ approach.