Legislation
| DOI | 10.1177/026455058403100211 |
| Author | John Bolger |
| Published date | 01 June 1984 |
| Date | 01 June 1984 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Grevdle Janner’s Bill seeks to help two
seemingly distinct categories of people. First, the
person who shoplifts as a cry for help; and
secondly, the mnocent shopper who has made a
terrible mistake (In fact, the distinction is often
much less clear than this suggests - but that’s
another story.) But, how would it actually work?
In the Commons
House Magazine Janner has said
that when prosecution can be avoided ’the alleged
LEGISLATION
offence should be dealt with by a warnmg or some
other more appropriate method’ The chronic
limitation of the caution, or warning, is that it
requires an admission of guilt Now, cautioning
Theft from Shops Bill
helps the innocent shopper only a 1 ittle. A caution
Shoplifting is sometimes like a surrogate suicide.
may be less traumatic than appearing in Court but
Grevtlle Janner’s Prmate Member’s Bill, read for
it still entails owning to a non-existent guilt (an
the first time on 17th January, 1984, is almost
irresistable temptation to most innocent
certain to expire this July for lack of parliamentary
shoplifters’).
time It is still an interestmg attempt, in it’s author’s
s
Then again, if it is a cry for help, who is going
words, to ’avoid injustice and relieve much
to listen? How
goes the path from police station to
unnecessary suffering’ It proposes two changes
consulting room? Actually, very few shoplifters
First, that
need hospital treatment. But they need more than
‘no prosecution for theft from a shop shall be mstituted
a caution, guilty or not It is here that the ‘Juvenile
’
except by the police
Bureau’ model might be helpful, m assembling
Second, that
police, retailer, and such agencies, statutory or
’the Government shall issue guidelines to reqmre the
voluntary, that could start listemng to the
pohce m decidmg whether or not to mstitute a
shoplifters, and offering appropriate help The
prosecution for theft from shops to have regard to the
probation officer could play an important role in
circumstances of the...
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