Pre-charge bail

The research project investigated the operation of police powers to bail suspects or release them under investigation after they were arrested and detained by the police and when there were outstanding enquiries or to await a charging decision from the Crown Prosecution Service.

The project provided insights into how pre-charge bail and Release Under Investigation (RUI) were being used after a period of considerable change and constant high-profile criticism and debate. It was the first research to examine the impact of significant legal changes brought in by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The project built upon a previous project undertaken in early 2010s thus providing unique data to examine the impact of legal changes on police practices by comparing three different legal frameworks. The project drew on data collected from court observations, police administrative data, surveys and interviews with police officers and interviews with victim’s organisations.

The project was completed in partnership with the National Police Chief’s Council and three police forces. It began in January 2023 and was completed in July 2024.

The project was led by Professor Anthea Hucklesby. She can be contacted on a.hucklesby@bham.ac.uk