Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 facts for kids
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| Long title | An Act to abolish the division of crimes into felonies and misdemeanours, to amend and simplify the law in respect of matters arising from or related to that division or the abolition of it, to make further provision with respect to criminal proceedings and offences; and for purposes connected with any of those matters. |
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| Citation | 1967 c 18 (NI) |
| Territorial extent | Northern Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 1 August 1967 |
| Commencement | 29 August 1967 |
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Status: Amended
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| Revised text of statute as amended | |
The Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 is an important law passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland. It was created to make the rules about crimes simpler and easier to understand. This Act brought big changes to how crimes were classified and handled in Northern Ireland.
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What is the Criminal Law Act?
This law aimed to simplify the way crimes were treated. Before this Act, crimes were split into two main groups: felonies and misdemeanours.
Felonies and Misdemeanours
Historically, a felony was considered a very serious crime. Examples might include murder or robbery. These crimes often had strict punishments.
A misdemeanour was a less serious crime. Think of things like minor assaults or public disturbances. The punishments for misdemeanours were usually not as severe.
This old system was quite complicated. It meant that different rules applied depending on whether a crime was a felony or a misdemeanour.
Making the Law Simpler
The Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967 changed all that. It got rid of the old felony and misdemeanour system. This meant that all crimes were now treated under one single set of rules.
This change made the law much clearer for everyone. It helped to simplify how criminal cases were handled in courts. It also made it easier for police and lawyers to apply the law.
The Act also made other changes to criminal proceedings. These changes helped to update and improve the justice system in Northern Ireland.
Why Was This Act Important?
This Act was a big step towards modernizing the legal system in Northern Ireland. By removing the old classifications, it helped to create a more consistent approach to justice.
It made sure that the focus was on the seriousness of the crime itself. This was instead of relying on an old-fashioned way of classifying offences.
This law is similar to another law passed in the United Kingdom. That law, the Criminal Law Act 1967, did the same thing for England and Wales.
See also
- Criminal Law Act
 | Valerie Thomas |
 | Frederick McKinley Jones |
 | George Edward Alcorn Jr. |
 | Thomas Mensah |
