Is England too soft on murder or terrorist suspects?

[rov1100]

Today the police have their hands tied in questioning any murder suspect. They are not allowed to use any psychological techniques which could make the real murderer own up to his crimes. So they are treated with kid gloves. In the end many murderers or even terrorists are allowed back into the community without ever being charged.

Although nobody would agree with physical torture there are other methods such as sleep deprivation and interrogation techniques that could bring the case to a conclusion.

England seems to be alone in this.

[ll_billym]

I am all for solving crimes but 'suspects' are legally innocent (at least for the particular crime in question).

So you could rephrase your question "Is England too Soft on Innocent People?", and actually I don't think so.

[ummmm]

You think sleep deprivation works? It doesn't...people get confused through lack of sleep. So they could get a confession out of an innocent person.

[rojash]

"Although nobody would agree with physical torture there are other methods such as sleep deprivation and interrogation techniques that could bring the case to a conclusion."
Shouldn't that last bit read "to a POTENTIALLY FALSE conclusion"?
(Sorry about the caps, but as you know, we can't post italics)

[Andyvon]

It's been shown Rov that many people simply crack after a few hours of intense questioning and pressure. Once they've reached that point they will say and admit to anything just for the pressure to stop. Many of the people proved innocent after confessing said they spent hours telling the police they didn't commit the crime but they eventually cracked and admitted everything just to get the police to stop.

[sandyRoe]

Remember Stephen Kiszko, and Richard Buckland? The first confessed to murder and was convicted. The second admitted, under questioning, that he had killed a girl. Both were innocent.
The police have more than enough powers.

[flobadob]

I might be wrong here but do the British police not have a good enough record of solving murders?

[rov1100]

Obviously the police need more powers than they have at present. Who was it that requested 72 days but the commons refused it. Who was it that requested control orders should be kept or even added to but in the end the Liberals watered them down. Who was it that requested evidence should be given in secret to protect the anominity of special branch officers but the judges refused it. The human rights legislation ensures terrorists can cock a snoot at authority.

The results of all this are plain to see when the terrorists flee to this country knowing with the help of free legal aid and lawyers they are almost untouchable.

[Andyvon]

The police do solve most murders here Flobadob. Our murder rate is very low compared to many countries and there are very few that are left as 'cold cases'. 75% of murders are husband killing wife or wife killing husband. 20% of the others occur under the same roof and just 5% of victims are killed by strangers.

I think Rov is talking about terrorists and that's different. You generally don't know who those scumbags are as they hide behind respectable facades. We had this for years with the IRA. Special branch would know there was just one cell of four individuals somewhere - but they didn't know where! We were all told they could be our respectable Irish neighbours who all had good jobs and a nice house. The situation at the moment is far worse and many people think the authorities are having to operate with a hand tied behind their back. That's no reason to waterboard people like in the US though.