Digital Rights

Research into police station legal advice has consistently shown that people do not understand their legal rights when detained and/or interviewed by the police, particularly children and young people.

While all suspects are given a notice of their legal rights, there is no child-friendly version currently available. This is despite the law requiring children as young as 10 years to make decisions about whether or not to have a lawyer, albeit they are assisted by an appropriate adult.

To ensure information is clearer and more accessible to young people we propose the development of an ‘app’ (or alternative digital solution) to allow the digital formatting of information (e.g., including hypertext) which could assist in providing information on legal rights in a way which better helps young people to make informed decisions.

The content and design of this digital solution will be co-produced with young users to maximize engagement and accessibility to information. If the ‘app’ is effective in improving the way in which information about suspects’ legal rights are delivered, and helps them to make informed decisions, particularly when waiving the right to legal advice, we will be looking to work with policy makers, the police and defence lawyers in using the ‘app’ in police custody and when suspects are interviewed by the police under caution.