Komter2002

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Komter2002
BibType ARTICLE
Key Komter2002
Author(s) Martha L. Komter
Title The suspect's own words: the treatment of written statements in Dutch courtrooms
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Courtroom Interaction, Written Statements
Publisher
Year 2002
Language
City
Month
Journal Forensic Linguistics
Volume 9
Number 2
Pages 168–192
URL Link
DOI 10.1558/sll.2002.9.2.168
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

In Dutch trials, suspects are confronted with written statements they made to the police and the investigating judge, earlier in the criminal law process, as recorded in the case files. These statements are supposed to be written down as far as possible in the suspect’s own words, but they are in fact the police officer’s written versions of what was said in the interrogating room. They are simultaneously reports of previous talks held in the police interrogating room and part of the interaction in the courtroom, both of which are conducted for a different purpose. Thus, suspects are held accountable for what they supposedly told the police, and if they argue with this, judges can rebut their protests by pointing out that they themselves have told this to the police.

Notes