Crime news: updated prison law guidance following scope changes
You can download updated guidance and forms following prison law scope changes which take effect on 21 February 2018.
Four categories of prison law work are being brought into scope on 21 February 2018 through amendments to the 2017 Standard Crime contract.
These are the areas affected:
- Pre-tariff review hearings and other advice cases for life and other indeterminate sentence prisoners before the Parole Board
- Category A prisoner reviews
- Directions as to a prisoner’s placement in a close supervision centre of a prison
- Directions as to a prisoner’s placement in a separation centre within a prison
Details of contract amendments and associated training materials can be found on the Standard Crime Contract 2017 page on GOV.UK.
Updated forms and guidance
The updated forms include the CRM3 application for advocacy assistance and the CRM18a escape case claim form.
There is also an updated version of the Criminal Bills Assessment Manual, as well as the Contracted Work and Administration (CWA) Code Guidance.
Transitional arrangements
We would like the new forms and guidance to be used immediately. But we will continue to accept the previous versions of the CRM3 and CRM18a forms until 31 May 2018.
Further information
Criminal Legal Aid (Amendment) Regulations 2017
Standard Crime Contract 2017 – to download ‘overview module of prison law requirements’
Legal aid guidance – to download ‘criminal bills assessment manual’
CRM3 application for advocacy assistance form
CRM18a escape fee case claim form
CWA codes guidance – to download ‘reporting crime lower work guidance’