NCJ Number
148405
Journal
Home Office Research and Statistics Department Research Bulletin Issue: 35 Dated: special issue (Winter 1994) Pages: complete issue
Editor(s)
C Byron
Date Published
1994
Length
83 pages
Annotation
The Royal Commission on Criminal Justice was created to examine the effectiveness of the British criminal justice system in securing the conviction of guilty defendants and the acquittal of innocent ones, taking into consideration the efficient use of available resources as well.
Abstract
The 22 studies undertaken by the Royal Commission are summarized here. Two papers are concerned with pretrial procedures in France and Germany, while another study provides comprehensive information on over 3,000 Crown Court cases dealt with over a 2-week period. One review deals with the position of ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system, while another spans a range of issues associated with pre- trial procedures and review of the evidence. Over half the studies are concerned with the degree of control that is exercised by police officers over criminal investigations. Other themes of the research include the quality of legal advice to suspects, prosecutorial arrangements for judging the merit of cases, and expert and forensic evidence. Chapter references