Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act 1887

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).

The act empowered the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by proclamation to name a district within which the act would have force. The other provisions applied only with such "proclaimed areas".

The act allowed actions connected to agrarian violence to be tried as summary offences by a magistrate without a jury. The "Mitchelstown Massacre" occurred on 9 September 1887, when Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) members fired at a crowd protesting against the conviction under the act of two men, including MP William O'Brien. Three were killed; when Balfour defended the RIC in the Commons, O'Brien dubbed him "Bloody Balfour". On 6 May 1920, as the Irish War of Independence was escalating, it was reported to the Commons that "Between 1st November, 1918, and 30th April, 1920, 305 cases were dealt with under the Criminal Law and Procedure (Ireland) Act. 1,109 persons were prosecuted in these cases, 454 were convicted, 109 were discharged, 352 were ordered to find bail, 194 are awaiting trial."

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