NCJ Number
159013
Editor(s)
C Walker,
K Starmer
Date Published
1993
Length
271 pages
Annotation
This book examines the various facets of the British criminal justice system that have resulted in the conviction of the innocent; remedies are suggested for avoiding such miscarriages of justice in the future.
Abstract
As used in this book, a "miscarriage of justice" is defined as whenever individuals are treated by the state in breach of their rights; whenever individuals are treated adversely by the state to a disproportionate extent compared with the need to protect the rights of others; or whenever the rights of others are not properly protected or vindicated by state action against wrongdoers. Many of the miscarriages of justice documented in this book relate to the efforts of the British police to bring Irish terrorists to justice in the context of terrorist bombings. Other cases of injustice documented pertain to the work of the West Midlands Police Serious Crime Squad, whose activities have given rise to 91 complaints about beatings, the fabrication of evidence, and denial of access to lawyers. Some of the forms of injustice discussed in this book are the fabrication of evidence, the unreliability of police and lay witnesses, overestimation of the value of expert testimony, unreliable confessions due to police pressure, nondisclosure of relevant evidence, trial procedures, presentation of the accused in a prejudicial manner, and problems associated with appeals and the procedures thereafter. Chapter tables and footnotes, a 30-item bibliography, and a subject index