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29 July 2010 / Peter Binning
Issue: 7428 / Categories: Opinion , Criminal
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Another bad idea

The government is intent on creating a new “super agency” to tackle the perceived shortcomings of the current multi-agency system for investigating and prosecuting fraud and related commercial crime.

The CPS, not drastic change, is the solution for tackling business crime,
says Peter Binning

The government is intent on creating a new “super agency” to tackle the perceived shortcomings of the current multi-agency system for investigating and prosecuting fraud and related commercial crime. The proposed new Economic Crime Agency is a wrongheaded approach. Instead what is needed is a selective and innovative set of amendments to current laws on plea bargaining and sentencing for business crime.

The existing organisations should be expanded where possible rather than creating a new body. The redundant ones can be shut down. Any new agency would require huge investment in people and resources and there would be inevitable delay in forging a new identity and statutory framework. What is needed is a reliable and stable organisation backed by practical legal powers. Why not develop the now quarter century old Crown

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Signature Litigation—Catherine Naylor

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Morgan Lewis—Paul Feldberg

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Two district judges and a tribunal judge have been sanctioned for delays in delivering judgments and orders
Private equity (PE) investment into UK law firms halved to £250m last year, but deal volume rose, according to research by Acquira Professional Services’ Momentum private equity market tracker
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