A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Manchester has revealed a surprising trend in England and Wales: the use of rap and drill music as evidence in serious criminal cases. The study identified 68 cases over three years where lyrics from these genres were used as evidence against 252 defendants, including individuals facing charges of gang-related murder.
According to a University of Manchester press release, rap lyrics and videos are frequently used as prosecution evidence in criminal cases involving youth violence in England and Wales. The material selected by prosecutors often contains violent themes, commonly found in the popular ‘drill’ rap music genre, and is created by one or more of the defendants or their associates. This practice is highly controversial due to concerns that rap is an unreliable form of evidence and that its use is unfairly prejudicial.
Despite facing criticism, there is minimal regulation or oversight regarding the use of rap as evidence in criminal cases, and it continues to be employed in building prosecutions related to ‘gang activity’ under contentious secondary liability laws. These ‘gang’ labels, which some law enforcement officials have denounced as imprecise and racist, are often supported by rap music to construct large ‘Joint Enterprise’ trials where multiple individuals are prosecuted for a single crime.
Researchers Eithne Quinn, Erica Kane, and Will Pritchard suggest that their research has revealed troubling processes that can lead to innocent people being wrongly convicted of serious crimes.
“Our findings are deeply troubling and suggest that the use of rap evidence in criminal cases may lead to an increase in the number of people charged under already contentious secondary liability laws,” stated Professor Eithne Quinn.