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Criminal Investigation: the Law Under Suspicion

NCJ Number
131621
Journal
Journal of the Institute of Criminology, Current Issues in Criminal Justice Issue: 1 Dated: (October 1989) Pages: 7-92
Author(s)
J Kable; P Byrne; K J Drew; S Odgers
Date Published
1990
Length
86 pages
Annotation
These six papers and discussion paper examine issues related to police investigative techniques, unsigned records of oral confessions, and the admissibility of confessional evidence.
Abstract
An overview of judicial decisions cites several cases leading up to Williams v. The Queen and concludes that the real issue is determining what represents a fair manner in which to handle an accused person. Additional papers focus on the need for the courts and the public to be aware of all interactions between the police and the accused person and on the concerns of the public that the laws governing the conduct of police investigations hamper the effectiveness of the police. Further papers discuss the legislative proposals of the New South Wales Law Reform Commission, the police view of these issues in Australia, proposals of the British government to modify the right to silence in the United Kingdom, and other aspects of police interrogations of suspects. Footnotes