This book focuses on the world's first publicly-funded body to review alleged miscarriages of justice, set up in the wake of notorious cases such as the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six. Bringing together critical perspectives from campaigners, prominent criminal appeal practitioners and academic specialists, it centres on the different aspects of the CCRC's tasks, in particular, the limitations placed on it by its governing statute that hinder its claimed independence from the appeal courts and its working practices which prevents the referral of cases in which victims may be factually innocent. The book compares the CCRC with existing systems in Scotland, the US and Canada that deal with alleged wrongful convictions. Thoroughly undermining its operations, this study argues that the CCRC's help to innocent victims of wrongful conviction is merely incidental.
'Michael Naughton's timely and authoritative book comprehensively destroys the myth that the central mission of the CCRC is to correct wrongful convictions of the innocent.' Professor Mike McConville, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
'This is a timely and provocative volume, which draws attention to the limitations of Criminal Cases Review Commission and similar institutions. .. It ought to act as a useful antidote to any sense of complacency on the part of those responsible for rectifying such miscarriages.' - Professor Peter Duff, former member of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
'The CCRC is an extremely important experiment - a government institution dedicated to investigating miscarriages of justice - that jurists all across the world are following with profound interest. Michael Naughton's thorough and insightful book raises critical issues the CCRC must address, especially the apparent tendency to elevate concerns about procedure above the CCRC's core mission to find a best approximation of the truth and fairness in an individual's case." - Barry Scheck, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Innocence Project, USA
Introduction; M.Naughton
PART I: SETTING THE SCENE
The Importance of Innocence for the Criminal Justice System; M.Naughton
PART II: VOLUNTARY SECTOR PERSPECTIVES
Some General Thoughts on the CCRC From on the Ground; H.Kierle
The CCRC's Failure to Investigate Evidence Unused at Trial to Make Good the Deficiencies of Defence Lawyers; A.Green
The CCRC's Failure to Live Up to its Stated Values?: The Case of Michael Attwooll and John Roden; D.Eady
The Failure of the CCRC's Review of the Possible Wrongful Convictions Caused by Michael Heath; S.Sekar
PART III: PRACTITIONER PERSPECTIVES
Historical Abuse Cases: Why They Expose the Inadequacy of the Real Possibility Test; M.Newby
Only the Freshest Will Do; C.Malone
The CCRC and Applicant Solicitors: Friends or Foes?; G.Maddocks & G.Tan
The Inadequacy of the Funding for Applications to the CCRC; S.Bird
PART IV: ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES
The CCRC After 10 Years: An Investment in Justice?; R.Nobles & D.Schiff
Real Possibility or Fat Chance?; K.Kerrigan
Press and Release: UK News Coverage of the CCRC Since 1996; P.Mason
The CCRC as an Option for Canada: Forwards or Backwards?; C.Walker & K.Campbell
The CCRC As Seen From the United States; R.Schehr
PART V: CONCLUSION
Conclusion; M.Naughton
References
Index
MICHAEL NAUGHTON is Senior Lecturer, School of Law and Department of Sociology, University of Bristol, UK, and founder and Chair of the Innocence Network UK (INUK) and the University of Bristol Innocence Project (UoBIP). He has written widely on miscarriages of justice and the wrongful conviction of the innocent. He is the author of Rethinking Miscarriages of Justice: Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg.
Description
This book focuses on the world's first publicly-funded body to review alleged miscarriages of justice, set up in the wake of notorious cases such as the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six. Bringing together critical perspectives from campaigners, prominent criminal appeal practitioners and academic specialists, it centres on the different aspects of the CCRC's tasks, in particular, the limitations placed on it by its governing statute that hinder its claimed independence from the appeal courts and its working practices which prevents the referral of cases in which victims may be factually innocent. The book compares the CCRC with existing systems in Scotland, the US and Canada that deal with alleged wrongful convictions. Thoroughly undermining its operations, this study argues that the CCRC's help to innocent victims of wrongful conviction is merely incidental.
Reviews
'Michael Naughton's timely and authoritative book comprehensively destroys the myth that the central mission of the CCRC is to correct wrongful convictions of the innocent.' Professor Mike McConville, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
'This is a timely and provocative volume, which draws attention to the limitations of Criminal Cases Review Commission and similar institutions. .. It ought to act as a useful antidote to any sense of complacency on the part of those responsible for rectifying such miscarriages.' - Professor Peter Duff, former member of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
'The CCRC is an extremely important experiment - a government institution dedicated to investigating miscarriages of justice - that jurists all across the world are following with profound interest. Michael Naughton's thorough and insightful book raises critical issues the CCRC must address, especially the apparent tendency to elevate concerns about procedure above the CCRC's core mission to find a best approximation of the truth and fairness in an individual's case." - Barry Scheck, Co-Founder and Co-Director of the Innocence Project, USA
Contents
Introduction; M.Naughton
PART I: SETTING THE SCENE
The Importance of Innocence for the Criminal Justice System; M.Naughton
PART II: VOLUNTARY SECTOR PERSPECTIVES
Some General Thoughts on the CCRC From on the Ground; H.Kierle
The CCRC's Failure to Investigate Evidence Unused at Trial to Make Good the Deficiencies of Defence Lawyers; A.Green
The CCRC's Failure to Live Up to its Stated Values?: The Case of Michael Attwooll and John Roden; D.Eady
The Failure of the CCRC's Review of the Possible Wrongful Convictions Caused by Michael Heath; S.Sekar
PART III: PRACTITIONER PERSPECTIVES
Historical Abuse Cases: Why They Expose the Inadequacy of the Real Possibility Test; M.Newby
Only the Freshest Will Do; C.Malone
The CCRC and Applicant Solicitors: Friends or Foes?; G.Maddocks & G.Tan
The Inadequacy of the Funding for Applications to the CCRC; S.Bird
PART IV: ACADEMIC PERSPECTIVES
The CCRC After 10 Years: An Investment in Justice?; R.Nobles & D.Schiff
Real Possibility or Fat Chance?; K.Kerrigan
Press and Release: UK News Coverage of the CCRC Since 1996; P.Mason
The CCRC as an Option for Canada: Forwards or Backwards?; C.Walker & K.Campbell
The CCRC As Seen From the United States; R.Schehr
PART V: CONCLUSION
Conclusion; M.Naughton
References
Index
Authors
MICHAEL NAUGHTON is Senior Lecturer, School of Law and Department of Sociology, University of Bristol, UK, and founder and Chair of the Innocence Network UK (INUK) and the University of Bristol Innocence Project (UoBIP). He has written widely on miscarriages of justice and the wrongful conviction of the innocent. He is the author of Rethinking Miscarriages of Justice: Beyond the Tip of the Iceberg.
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