Recent Book: Liberty: Law and the Common Man
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6804101009 |
| Published date | 01 October 1968 |
| Date | 01 October 1968 |
| Author | A. A. Muir |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
in for the most extended treatment, and if anyone still has doubts as
to whether s. 5 of the Public Order Act, 1936, can be used in cir-
cumstances without a political flavour, this book should effectively
dispose of them. The extension of this offence into the field of race
relations is also considered.
This is not, however, a mere recital of the law concerned with
public order; it is an extremely readable book, and such household
names as Thomas v. Sawkins, Dunning v. Wise, Piddington v. Bates
and many others spring to life as the
author
recounts the circum-
stances leading to these prosecutions and examines the appeal court's
judgments. The same is true of his treatment of the relevant statutes
and where he considers it necessary he suggest changes in the law to
make its provisions more certain.
Over the years the British police have struck a generally acceptable
balance between
the
needs to preserve the principles of free speech
and assembly on the one hand and to preserve the Queen's Peace on
the other; they will never please everybody,
but
this book should
certainly help a senior officer to please most. Additionally, it under-
lines for him how important it is that police discretion in this field
should be exercised with fine judgment. Fairness to all parties con-
cerned and a completely impartial approach are vital; arbitrary
decisions can only lead to calls for this discretion to be circum-
scribed, with all the difficultieswhich this can entail. Even more im-
portant, excessive use of force or any suggestion that one party is
treated differently from another, will often lead to even greater
excesseson the
part
of the crowd.
England cannot consider herself immune from the forces now at
large in world society, and whilst there may be, as yet, no immediate
danger of
our
experiencing the frightening sight of armed soldiers
and steel-helmeted police patrolling the streets of
our
cities, it is
essential that incipient trouble should be dealt with promptly,
decisively
and
fairly. This book will help any senior officer to prepare
for such an occasion.
RECENT
BOOKS
LIBERTY
C. H.
ROLPH:
Law and the Common Man. Charles C. Thomas. $9.75.
This book is a monograph in a
series of American lectures in
Behavioral Science and Law. edited by
482
the Professor of Law in the University
of Kansas School of Law; some of the
other titles in this series are: Helen
October 1968
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