Is the 'Appropriate Adult' appropriate?

A'Court, Bethany and Mckeown, Paul (2024) Is the 'Appropriate Adult' appropriate? In: Human Rights and Legal Services for Children and Youth: Global Perspectives. Springer, Singapore, pp. 62-85. ISBN 9789819955503, 9789819955510, 9789819955534

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-5551-0_4

Abstract

It is recognised that children are particularly vulnerable within the criminal justice system and therefore should be afforded ‘appropriate assistance’ pursuant to Article 37 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Within England and Wales, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 states that all individuals under the age of 18 must be provided with an appropriate adult to provide advice and assistance, facilitate communication and ensure the child is being treated fairly. This chapter considers whether the appropriate adult, who can be a family member, social worker or volunteer, is appropriate to safeguard the child’s rights, entitlements and welfare whilst they are in police custody. The chapter will examine whether lawyers, as a consequence of their legal knowledge and skills, are better placed to protect the interests of a child in police custody, and if so, whether the role of the appropriate adult should be redefined to support the child’s emotional welfare and facilitate their relationship with the lawyer.

Item Type: Book Section
Uncontrolled Keywords: Appropriate Adults, Child custody, Youth justice
Subjects: M900 Other in Law
Department: Faculties > Business and Law > Northumbria Law School
Depositing User: John Coen
Date Deposited: 08 Feb 2023 12:43
Last Modified: 22 May 2024 08:00
URI: https://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/51352

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