NCJ Number
158041
Date Published
1986
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The passage of England's Police and Criminal Evidence Act of 1984 marked a major change in that country's criminal justice system; the act delineates police practices for detaining, treating, and questioning suspects.
Abstract
Provisions of the act on suspect detention, treatment, and questioning are quite detailed and emphasize police accountability, the importance of police custody records, and duties of police custody officers. The act also requires informing suspects of police procedures when they are detained in police stations and advising them of their rights. In addition, the act stipulates that the need for further detention be carefully evaluated by the police, in conjunction with the magistrate court. The act establishes stringent time limits for reviewing and authorizing detention and contains provisions on suspect access to a lawyer, the use of cautions, and confessions. 1 note