Suspicion and Silence

Book excerpt: The Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill includes provisions to restrict a defendant's right to silence in response to police questioning and in the courts. Supporters of this change argue that the right to silence is an anachronistic impediment to justice and its abolition would lead to the conviction of more guilty offenders in the courts. However, there is growing concern that removal of this age-old right will expose suspects to far greater pressures from the police and increase the risks of false confessions and miscarriages of justice.