Miscarriages of Justice

Recent years have seen the release from prison of the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six and Tottenham Three. The Maguire Seven have now been cleared of all charges, and the discredited West Midlands Crime Squad have now been disbanded. Each of these events has highlighted serious failures in the criminal justice system which have contributed to miscarriages of justice. Amongst the many disturbing features are the obtaining of confessions by unacceptable means the fabrication of evidence the failure to disclose evidence adverse to the prosecution and the inadequacy of appeal and reference-back systems. This book examines the various steps within the criminal justice system which have resulted in the conviction of the innocent, and remedies as to how miscarriages might be avoided in the future are suggested. The contributors comprise academics, campaigners and practitioners, some of whom have been involved in the cases mentioned.