Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act 1887 (original) (raw)

The Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act 1887 (50 & 51 Vict. c. 20) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended the criminal law in Ireland to give greater law enforcement power to the authorities. It was introduced by Arthur Balfour, then Chief Secretary for Ireland, to deal with the Plan of Campaign, an increase in illegal activity associated with the Land War. It was informally called the Crimes Act, Irish Crimes Act, or Perpetual Crimes Act; (the last because it was permanent, unlike earlier Crimes Acts passed as emergency measures with limited duration) or the Jubilee Coercion Act (being passed in the year of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria).