Prosecution association

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A prosecution association was an organization of citizens, typically in the same community, who paid dues to cover one another's costs of privately prosecuting offenders should a crime be committed against them. [1]

A private prosecution is a criminal proceeding initiated by an individual or private organisation instead of by a public prosecutor who represents the state. Private prosecutions are allowed in many jurisdictions under common law, but have become less frequent in modern times as most prosecutions are now handled by professional public prosecutors instead of private individuals who retain barristers.

These were particularly popular in places and times when there was no public police force (the first public police force in Britain was established in 1829) [2] and when citizens were allowed to prosecute offenders directly rather than relying on public prosecutors. The prosecution associations sometimes also provided crime insurance to their members, and would go after offenders in an effort to obtain restitution.

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References

  1. King, Peter (2003). Crime, Justice, and Discretion in England 1740-1820. Oxford University Press. p. 53. ISBN   978-0-19-925907-6 . Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  2. Beito, David T.; Gordon, Peter; Tabarrok, Alexander (2006-01-01). The voluntary city: markets, communities and urban planning. Academic Foundation. p. 476. ISBN   978-81-7188-572-5 . Retrieved 13 August 2010.