A Critical Review of UK Criminal Law Reforms Since 2018

Introduction

Over the past few years, the UK criminal law reforms have undergone considerable changes aimed at addressing modern societal challenges, systemic injustices, and the evolving nature of crime. From youth justice strategies to sentencing guidelines and digital policing, these reforms have shaped how law is applied, enforced, and interpreted across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

This critical review explores the major criminal justice reform UK has seen since 2018, with a special focus on the impact of criminal law reforms UK students and academics may find most relevant. We’ll discuss what’s changed, why it’s changed, and whether these changes are genuinely improving the UK legal system or merely creating new sets of problems.

Understanding the...