New laws come into force today which will give people defending themselves greater confidence.

The self defence provisions of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 coming into force today will make clear to the public, prosecutors and the police that those who use reasonable force to protect themselves or others should not be prosecuted. As long as they use no more force than absolutely necessary, people should have confidence that the law will support them, so long as:

* they acted instinctively;
* they feared for their safety or that of others, and acted based on their perception of the threat faced and the scale of that threat;
* they acted to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; and
* the level of force used was not excessive or disproportionate in the circumstances as they viewed them.

Labour’s Justice Minister Jack Straw said:

"The justice system must not only work on the side of people who do the right thing as good citizens, but also be seen to work on their side. The Government strongly supports the right of law abiding people to defend themselves, their families and their property with reasonable force. This law will help to make sure that that right is upheld and that the criminal justice system is firmly weighted in favour of the victim.

"Dealing with crime is not just the responsibility of the police, courts and prisons; it's the responsibility of all of us. Communities with the lowest crime and the greatest safety are the ones with the most active citizens with a greater sense of shared values, inspired by a sense of belonging and duty to others, who are empowered by the state and are also supported by it - in other words, making a reality of justice.

"These changes in the law will make clear - victims of crime, and those who intervene to prevent crime, should be treated with respect by the justice system. We do not want to encourage vigilantism, but there can be no justice in a system which makes the victim the criminal."