Vera Institute of Justice

Overview

This December 1983 Vera London report discusses the principal options for implementing section 48 of the Criminal Justice Act 1977, which concerns advance disclosure of the prosecution case to the defense. In 1983-84, Vera collaborated with the Inner London Probation and After-care Service (ILPAS) to develop two pilot projects—a London-based project provided disclosure of the statements of prosecution witnesses, and a Northumbria project focused on disclosure of a summary of the prosecution case. Drawing upon the results to date of the two pilots, and other available information, the paper also sets forth the major policy issues which must be determined in the course of implementing section 48.