The Urge to Over-Legislate: Criminal Law and Public Opinion in the United Kingdom

In the 10 years in which Tony Blair was Prime Minister in Britain atotal of 3,023 new offenses were legislated--roughly two new crimescreated for every day Parliament was in session. Many of these newlaws are trivial and unnecessary. Many of the offenses areaddressed appropriately in civil law. But lawmakers bowed to thepublic's clamor to "do something" with results that are unjust anddestructive.

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