Centre for Crime and Justice Studies

New report reveals deepening concerns over joint enterprise prosecutions

15 April 2026

A new report from the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Joint Enterprise: A View Over Time, provides fresh evidence of the scale and impact of joint enterprise prosecutions across England and Wales.

Drawing on nearly two decades of data, the research shows a sustained rise in multi-defendant homicide cases, alongside increasingly severe sentencing outcomes and ongoing racial disproportionality.

APPEAL’s Racial Justice Lead, Dr Nisha Waller, is among the authors of the report, bringing crucial expertise on how joint enterprise is applied in practice and its wider implications for fairness in the justice system.

Related links and commentary

👉 Read the full report

👉 Guardian Article, 15 April 2026

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