Managerialism and myopia: The government's consultation draft on pace - Code D

Abstract

This article considers significant amendments to Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, Codes of Practice, Code D, that are proposed in the government's consultation draft. That document contains new and amended provisions by which the government hopes to speed up the processing of suspect identification and reduce the administrative burden on the police. It is submitted that the changes through which the government hopes to achieve these objectives introduce into the Code a degree of incoherence and undermine existing safeguards. Furthermore, a number of opportunities to provide greater protection against mistaken identification appear to have been overlooked.