NCJ Number
113755
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 36 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1988) Pages: 85-88
Date Published
1988
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Law Reform Commission of Canada has supported the recommendation that all of the country's police forces should videotape the statements of accused persons and suspects.
Abstract
A 2-year pilot videotaping project conducted by the Halton Regional Police Force found that videotaping did not impede the flow of information and required no legal changes in regulations governing submission of police interview evidence. Prior to the start of the project in 1985, officers received 6 months of training to become familiar with the equipment. Two interview rooms and a tape-monitoring room were constructed and audiovisual equipment was purchased at a total cost of $35,000. During the project, each officer was issued a personal videotape to serve as a sort of electronic notebook. Officers were responsible for the safe custody and continuity of their tapes, and secure storage facilities were provided. Consent to videotape was obtained from suspects. During the project, 946 videotaped interviews were conducted, 68 percent of which resulted in confessions or admissions. Videotaped statements took less time to record on the average, were conducted by one officer rather than the customary two, did not appear to inhibit the interview, and were perceived positively by criminal lawyers. Advantages of videotaping include the accuracy of the record, the provision of information on the demeanor of the suspect and the tenor of the investigation, and restraints on police abuses. Taping also has made it possible to avoid almost all transcription. The most common concern about the procedure is that officers may engage in off-tape preparatory interviews.