News story
Corporate manslaughter laws now apply to custody
Custody providers - prisons, secure hospitals, police and juvenile detention facilities - will be covered by corporate manslaughter law.
The Government has also extended the law so that it will also apply to Ministry of Defence and UK Borders Agency customs custodial facilities.
The Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007, which came into effect in 2008, created a new offence of corporate manslaughter which can be committed by organisations which cause the death of a person through gross negligence management failings.
Today’s change increases the accountability of custody providers (public and private) under the criminal law.
Circular: Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide (Commencement no. 3) Order
Published 1 September 2011