Joint enterprise convictions in England and Wales have tripled since 1980s, report finds

Legal charity argues ‘job lot’ prosecution approach is unjust and primarily targets young black men

Joint enterprise cases in England and Wales have soared over the past four decades, according to a report calling for a change in the law so that individuals are held accountable only for their own actions.

The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies (CCJS) also found sentences have become harsher under the legal doctrine, which allows for individuals to be convicted of crimes they did not physically carry out if they were present at the scene or held an association with the principal culprit.