Dangerous Associations: The documentary
Over four years since we published Dangerous associations: Joint enterprise, gangs and racism, by Becky Clarke and Patrick Williams, filmmaker Colin Stone has drawn on this research to create a documentary on joint enterprise.
Stone explores the criminalisation of predominantly Black boys and men through convictions for joint enterprise.
Gloria Morrison, Campaign co-ordinator for Joint Enterprise Not Guilty by Association (JENGbA) said:
In Jan 2016 the publication of the report "Dangerous Associations: Joint Enterprise, Gangs and Racism" was widely received as another indication of the endemic racism within the criminal justice system, especially towards young Black youth. The authors Patrick Williams and Becky Clarke have followed up their report with this equally important film which highlights the problem, but also indicates that although campaign groups like JENGbA have been demanding justice for those convicted using the wrong law, nothing has changed.
Of the 1023 prisoners we are supporting, not one has had their conviction overturned and joint enterprise charging against secondary parties condemning young people to life imprisonment continues to this day. JENGbA would like to thank all involved in the film.
Richard Garside, Director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, said:
This is a great documentary that tells a really disturbing story. Addressing the multiple injustices of joint enterprise convictions, and preventing future injustices, is pretty straightforward. Any government committed to fairness could do it fairly easily.
We will continue to support the important work of JENGbA and others campaigning for justice for those snared by these unfair powers.
The research underpinning the documentary was also cited in this piece by Vice on joint enterprise.