First Paragraph
Like the Miranda warnings so well recognized in the United States, Great Britain has a caution that is familiar to its citizens. This warning, referred to as the right to silence, has been used for three decades. However, a debate has been brewing for years about whether the right to silence should be eliminated. Parliament recently passed the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act modifying the right to silence by lengthening the police caution. The new caution could severely limit, if not eliminate, the right to silence.8 Under the wording of the new caution, police officers will recite the following: "You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."
Recommended Citation
Diane Beckman, You Have the Right to Be Silent ... Anything You Do Not Say May Be Used Against You. Is the Right to Silence in Great Britain Really a Protection?, 14 Penn St. Int'l L. Rev. 95 (1995).