NCJ Number
34784
Date Published
1974
Length
248 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT, COMMISSIONED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, EXAMINES THE PROCEDURES AND POLICIES OF POLICE AND PROSECUTORS WITH RESPECT TO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, AND PRESENTS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REFORM.
Abstract
DATA FOR THIS REPORT WAS OBTAINED FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES: WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS BY PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS APPEARING TO HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND PROCEDURES; ON-SITE VISITS TO SEVERAL POLICE AGENCIES; INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS WITH POLICE PERSONNEL; AND A LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE SUBJECT. AMONG THE SUBJECTS CONSIDERED IN THIS REPORT ARE THE POLICE FUNCTION, THE ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE POLICE FORCE, POLICE DISCIPLINE, AND COMPLAINTS AGAINST POLICE. RESPONSIBILITIES AND POWERS OF POLICE ARE ALSO EXAMINED, INCLUDING THE POWERS OF SEARCH AND SEIZURE, THE DETENTION AND INTERROGATION OF SUSPECTS, THE POWERS OF ARREST, THE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF ACCUSED PERSONS, AND THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE. FINALLY, SUCH SUBJECTS AS THE RIGHT TO SILENCE, ILLEGALLY OBTAINED EVIDENCE, FORENSIC SCIENCES SERVICES, PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION, AND THE CONDUCT OF THE PROSECUTION ARE EXAMINED. A SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE IN THE BODY OF THE REPORT IS PROVIDED IN THE FINAL SECTION.