Society’s growing concern about assaults on police, NHS workers and prison officers intensified as the COVID-19 pandemic shone a light on the plight of key workers.

The response from the government and the criminal justice system lays a clear emphasis on a punitive approach; a new offence and harsher penalties. For many this is perfectly logical; assault an emergency worker and you will almost certainly be charged and sanctioned.

This report takes a closer, evidence-based look at increased penalties for assaults against emergency workers and demonstrates the ineffectiveness of this approach on any level. In fact, it is simply likely to channel even more vulnerable people into a criminal justice system where they fare very badly.

Published in June 2022 by Transform Justice.