Publications

Criminal Cases Review Commission consultation paper

The NIHRC agrees that the relevant criteria for determining whether or not to give
priority to cases are those identified in section 1 of the consultation paper. In
particular it strongly supports the decision to prioritise in-custody applications over
at-liberty applications. Deprivation of liberty is a hugely more important detriment to
an individual than a wrongful conviction per se. It follows that this Commission also
approves of the system whereby an in-custody applicant who is released before a
Stage 2 review is begun will have his or her case reclassified as at-liberty. It follows
too that in-custody applicants who are deceased should not have their cases
prioritised. We believe that the most important objective of the CCRC should be to
ensure that persons should not spend time in custody for offences of which in law
they are not guilty.

criminal-cases-review-commission-consultation-paper-january-2000.pdf