A Practical Guide to the Law in Relation to Gang Evidence and Drill Lyrics in Criminal Proceedings

This book provides a practical guide to legal professionals on the relevance and admissibility of gang association and musical content, in particular drill lyrics, in criminal proceedings. This area of practice raises not only complex legal discussions about the admissibility of bad character, hearsay and expert evidence but also important societal attitudes towards black cultural heritage. The growing debate in this controversial area of law is not only interesting but also necessary knowledge for any practitioner regularly instructed to represent children and young adults in criminal proceedings.

In the book there are chapters addressing the definition of a ’gang’, the origin of drill music in the UK, the admissibility of gang evidence under the Lewis test, the relevant law in relation to applications for both gang injunctions and criminal behaviour orders and potential future reforms to the treatment of gang evidence and drill music in criminal proceedings. The author sets out the various practical issues faced by those instructed in gang association cases with the aim of assisting practitioners at every stage of proceedings.