Blog

The disappearing trial: towards a rights-based approach to trial waiver systems

With the number of trial waiver systems worldwide increasing nearly 300 per cent since 1990, Jago Russell, Chief Executive of Fair Trials, looks at how this emerging issue can both improve but also undermine human rights protections.  The trial is the archetype of criminal justice. It has captured the public imagination. Just think of the dominance […]

Jago Russell30th August 2017

From interrogating to interviewing suspects of terror: Towards a new mindset

Photo: The terrorist suspect being interviewed by Norwegian police. Provided with kind permission by the author. In 2011, ten years after a new approach of questioning criminal suspects was introduced in Norway called ‘Investigative Interviewing’, the country was struck by a terrorist attack which killed 77 people.  In the aftermath of the attack, Asbjørn Rachlew, […]

Asbjørn Rachlew14th March 2017

Pleading guilty: an overview of the French procedure

In 2015, PRI conducted some preliminary internal research into plea-bargains – an agreement by which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a concession from the prosecutor, usually a lesser charge or a reduced sentence. This is agreed upon in advance, approved by a judge, and a full trial is avoided. Over 30 […]

Akila Taleb-Karlsson9th January 2017

Does the placement of the accused at court undermine the presumption of innocence?

You may be lucky enough to have a lawyer represent you in court, but in many countries, you may struggle to hear what they say or to communicate with them. Over the last 20 years, docks, where the accused is located during trial, have become more ‘secure’, with some enclosed in glass or even behind wire […]

Meredith Rossner, London School of Economics15th December 2016

What are the implications of television cameras in the courtroom?

Filming live court cases might make justice come to life, but do television cameras in a court room make our justice systems more transparent or improve public understanding of legal proceedings? Dr Ruth Herz, German judge and now visiting professor at Birkbeck School of Law, University of London, took on the role of a ‘TV judge’ […]

Dr Ruth Herz27th July 2016

How can the Mandela Rules be put into practice in Uganda and in other African countries?

On 10 March 2016, PRI’s new Africa Office held a round table discussion in Kampala, Uganda on the implementation of the Revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). Omar Phoenix Khan, Project Coordinator  EXTRA (Excellence in Training on Rehabilitation in Africa) Project Coordinator attended the discussions, along with PRI’s Executive Director, Alison Hannah and […]

Omar Phoenix Khan11th April 2016

Can a tiger change its stripes? Why we should consider what prisoners wear

Everyone deprived of their liberty has the right to clothing that is adequate, appropriate to the season, and does not humiliate or degrade. However, research into fashion and clothing suggests that rather than just being mere fabric to cover us up and keep us warm or cool, clothing can be significant for our sense of self and dignity. This blog is […]

Harriet Lowe11th March 2016

The European Supervision Order for transfer of defendants: why hasn’t it worked?

Foreign national prisoners often suffer disproportionately in the criminal justice system. They may have to negotiate prison life whilst contending with a different culture, language and without the regular family contact or visitors other prisoners may enjoy. As the number of foreign nationals in prison is considerable in many countries, the issue of the transfer […]

Bruno Min25th September 2015

The pre-trial services experience in Mexico

Pre-trial services, a non-custodial alternative to pre-trial detention whereby defendants are monitored in the community, were first introduced in Mexico in 2011. A Mexican non-governmental organisation − the Instituto de Justicia Procesal Penal (IJPP) − was instrumental in establishing the first pre-trial service in the country in the state of Morelos, and has supported their development in ten […]

Philippa Ross23rd September 2015