MIRANDA RULE (WARNING)

 

DEFINITION:  The doctrine that a criminal suspect in police custody must be informed of certain constitutional rights before being interrogated.  The suspect must be advised of the right to remain silent, the right to have an attorney present during questioning, and the right to have an attorney appointed if the suspect cannot afford one.  If the suspect is not advised of these rights or does not validly waive them, any evidence obtained during the interrogation cannot be used against the suspect at trial.  (Black’s Law Dictionary  REF KF156 .B53 1999)

 

NARROW THE TOPIC:

·         What is the history behind the Miranda Rule/Warning?

·         Why do we need the Miranda Rule/Warning?  Does it really protect the suspect from police brutality?

·         What are some of the consequences if the law fails to provide the Miranda Warning before questioning a suspect?

·         What was the US Supreme Court’s ruling in the 1966 case Miranda vs. Arizona?

·         Can a frisk turn into a full-blown search?

·         If questioned by a police officer after being stopped on the street, do you have to respond to the questions?

·         If you are legally stopped by a police officer on the street, can he search you?

·         Aren't constitutional technicalities like the Miranda Warnings responsible for letting violent criminals go free?

·         Should the Miranda Rule of 1966 be repealed?                               

 

LINCC SUBJECT HEADINGS:  Miranda rule; Right to counsel—United States; Confession (Law)--United States; Police questioning—United States; Fair trial—United States—History

 

SPECIALIZED SOURCES SHELVED IN THE REFERENCE COLLECTION:

Criminal Justice	REF KF 9214.5 .C75 2006
Encyclopedia of Crime & Punishment “Confession”	REF HV6017 .E524 2002 v.l
Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement	REF HV 7921 .E53 2005
Historic U.S. Court Cases	REF KF 385 .A4 T64 2001 v.1
West’s Encyclopedia of American Law	REF KF 154 .W47
World of Criminal Justice	REF HV7411 .W67 2002

 

AVAILABLE AT THE REFERENCE DESK:

CQ’s Desk Reference on American Government.                          

CQ Researcher “Policing the Police”                                                3/17/2000

Issues and Controversies “Miranda Warnings”                            2/18/2000

Opposing Viewpoints: Legal System ()                                            

Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions            

 

STATISTICS: Crime Statistics:  http://www.ncjfcj.unr.edu/homepage/ncjj/ncjj2/faq/crimestats.htm

 

ELECTRONIC INDEXES:

Academic Search Premier

Expanded Academic ASAP

OmniFile Full Text Mega

 

FULL-TEXT NEWSPAPERS:  America's Newspapers

 

SUGGESTED INTERNET SITES:

National Center for Policy Analysis: Handcuffing the Cops	http://www.ncpa.org/studies/s218.html
The "Miranda Warning" Decision	http://www.civilrightsunion.org/acluwatch/miranda.htm
Miranda vs. Arizona: The Crime That Changed American Justice	http://www.crimelibrary.com/classics4/miranda/
U.S. Supreme Court	http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
FindLaw Search	http://public.findlaw.com/search.html

 

CITING YOUR SOURCES:

University/College Library Citing Electronic Resources Links

http://ucl.broward.edu/Cite_Your_Sources.htm

 EHM  10/02 rev 2/08

Copyright © University/College Library. All rights reserved.

URL: http://ucl.broward.edu/pathtopics.htm

 

[Back to Home Page ] [Other Pathfinders ]