Actor and social justice campaigner Maxine Peake is hosting a new podcast looking at joint enterprise: when multiple people are held responsible for the same crime.
In It Together: The Joint Enterprise Podcast, hears Peake exploring how joint enterprise works, who it affects, and why campaigners are arguing that justice is not being served by these vague laws.
There are no winners when a violent crime is committed, and many parties are affected. The podcast looks at the grey areas, where the law doesn’t function as it should, where it is not delivering justice – whilst respecting the victims and their families who’ve had to deal with the devastating consequences of violent crime.
The four 40-minute episodes feature testimonies from ex-prisoners and their families, as well as legal experts, lawyers, MPs and campaigners.
The first episode covers what joint enterprise is, and explains where these laws come from and how has its use evolved over time.
Other episodes include how and why race affects joint enterprise, how the problem of broad, vague concepts can be compounded and the beginnings of the campaign group JENGbA.
Helen Mills, Head of Programmes at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and who collaborated on the podcast, said: “Joint enterprise laws have long been controversial.
“This podcast was an opportunity to bring together in one place the voices and experiences of some of those who have been impacted by joint enterprise and those who have scrutinised how these laws work.
“Their contributions help unravel the complexities of these laws—how they have evolved, their profound injustices, and the urgent need for reform.
“By amplifying the voices of those directly affected and those working for change, this series sheds essential light on a flawed legal doctrine with devastating consequences. I hope listeners find it illuminating and a powerful call to action for a fairer justice system.”
Maxine Peake said: “’When I was approached to take part in “In It Together: The Joint Enterprise Podcast” I agreed immediately as I had personally met families who had been affected by this controversial law.
“I was honoured to share their stories, hear about the personal impact from ex-prisoners and learn more about the law and its history from the lawyers and academics who took part.”
Gloria Morrison, JENGbA campaign co-ordinator, said: “People still don’t understand or believe that someone can be imprisoned for life, for a murder that they did not commit.
“We are supporting children as young as 13 who have been sentenced to life in prison for something they did not do.
“It is in Parliament’s hand to fix this broken law and it has to happen before more people are wrongfully imprisoned.”
Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: “I’m proud to support JENGbA and the launch of their powerful new podcast.
“It’s vital that we raise awareness of the injustice of joint enterprise laws and continue to build the movement for change.
“We’ve seen the impact that the ‘TRAPPED: The IPP Prisoner Scandal’ series had in shining a light on a broken system – I hope this podcast can do the same for the countless lives devastated by joint enterprise. This is about truth, justice, and urgent reform.”
You can find In It Together: The Joint Enterprise Podcast on Acast, Spotify and Apple.
