NCJ Number
67564
Date Published
1980
Length
22 pages
Annotation
DURING AN 11-MONTH PERIOD 431 JUVENILES WHO HAD BEEN ARRESTED BY THE ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, POLICE WERE GIVEN A THREE-PART TEST ON THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MIRANDA WARNING, AND HALF SHOWED IMPERFECT COMPREHENSION.
Abstract
THE RESPONDENTS WERE FIRST ASKED TO TELL WHAT EACH OF THE FOUR RIGHTS MEANT. THEN THEY WERE ASKED TO DEFINE KEY WORDS AND WERE GIVEN A SET OF TRUE-FALSE STATEMENTS. (THE TEST IS INCLUDED.) THE JUVENILES RANGED IN AGE FROM 11 TO 16 YEARS (MEAN 14.5), 55 PERCENT WERE MALE, 27 PERCENT WERE BLACK, AND 30 PERCENT WERE FROM LOWER-INCOME FAMILIES. THE MEAN NUMBER OF PRIOR COURT REFERRALS (ARRESTS) WAS 3.38. THE TWO PHRASES WHICH WERE MOST COMMONLY MISUNDERSTAOOD WERE THE WARNING THAT STATEMENTS 'CAN AND WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU IN A COURT OF LAW' AND THE ASSURANCE THAT THE SUSPECT HAS THE RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY BEFORE AND DURING INTERROGATION. THE MOST COMMON MISINTERPRETATION OF THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT WAS THAT IT WAS AN ADMONITION NOT TO SWEAR AT THE POLICE. THE RIGHT TO AN ATTORNEY WAS PRESUMED TO MEAN EITHER THE RIGHT TO A LAWYER FOR FUTURE COURT APPEARANCES OR THE RIGHT TO CALL A SOCIAL WORKER. AGE AND INTELLIGENCE LEVEL WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PREDICTORS OF UNDERSTANDING. THOSE UNDER AGE 14 SHOWED POOR UNDERSTANDING REGARDLESS OF INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (I.Q.) LEVEL WHILE, AFTER 14, I.Q. WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PREDICTOR. SEX AND PRIOR OFFENCE HISTORY WERE INSIGNIFICANT FACTORS, BUT BLACK JUVENILES SHOWED LOWER UNDERSTANDING THAN THE WHITES. THE REASONS FOR THIS NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. STUDY RESULTS ARE GIVEN GRAPHICALLY AND ANALYZED.