[JURIST] British Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith [Wikipedia profile] provided new details in a speech Tuesday on the creation of a proposed UK crime-fighting agency similar to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. The new institution, to be called the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA), would combine the National Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, and Customs and Immigration Service. It would focus on prosecution of drug and human traffickers, major fraudsters, and pedophile rings, in addition to all types of organized crime including international terrorism. The implementation of SOCA will also include the codification of "Queen's evidence," a law that grants a reduced sentence to defendants who plead guilty and testify against other co-defendants. Review the Serious Organized Crime and Police Bill [PDF text]. In February last year the UK Home Office issued this press release on the initiative. UPI has more.