取り調べ可視化 海外調査を論議の出発点に

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Aug. 24, 2010)
Open discussion needed on taping interrogations
取り調べ可視化　海外調査を論議の出発点に（8月23日付・読売社説）

The Justice Ministry will send prosecutors overseas to study the feasibility of introducing a system to make audio and video recordings of investigators' interrogations of suspects. The prosecutors will conduct research for a year on how recording systems function in the countries they visit.
　捜査官が容疑者を取り調べる過程を録音・録画する可視化について研究するため、法務省が今後１年かけて欧米を中心に検事を派遣し、実情を調査することになった。

The mission represents this nation's first comprehensive overseas research of such systems. Prosecutors will visit countries including the United States, Britain and France, as well as Germany, which has yet to adopt a recording system, and South Korea, which just introduced one.
　国による初の本格的な海外調査だ。対象は米国、英国、フランスなどのほか、可視化を取り入れていないドイツ、開始まもない韓国も含まれる。

The ministry should widely publicize the results of the research and consider what would be the most desirable form of recording system for this country.
　調査結果を広く国民に公表し、可視化の望ましいあり方などを考えていく必要がある。

Police and prosecutors have begun making partial audio and video recordings of interrogations conducted in connection with criminal cases tried jointly by lay and professional judges. Such records are meant to prove that confessions are not forced but voluntary.
　警察・検察は、裁判員裁判の対象事件で、部分的な録音・録画を始めている。自白が強制されたものではないことを裁判員に立証する目的からだ。

As of June, DVD recordings of interrogations had been shown in six cases tried under the lay judge system.
６月までに６件の裁判員裁判の法廷で実際に録画したＤＶＤが再生されている。

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations is calling for the entire interrogation process to be recorded, to prevent false charges from being brought. The Democratic Party of Japan called for the adoption of a full recording system in its campaign platform for the general election last August, and since the launch in September of the DPJ-led government, it has urged the ministry and the National Police Agency to look further into the feasibility of adopting such a system.
　これに対し、日本弁護士連合会は冤罪(えんざい)を防止するには取り調べの一部ではなく、全過程の可視化が必要だと主張している。全面可視化を公約とした民主党政権の誕生で、法務省と警察庁はさらなる検討を迫られているのが現状だ。

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Different situation overseas

But the situation in Japan is different from that of the countries where recording systems are in place.
　ただ、可視化が定着している諸外国の事情は、日本と異なる。

In Britain, suspects are usually interrogated once after being arrested and the questioning is said to finish within 30 minutes in many cases. Defendants also have a good chance of being acquitted in jury trials.
　英国では逮捕後の取り調べ回数は１回程度で、３０分以内で終わることが多いという。陪審裁判で無罪になる確率も高い。

Furthermore, there is a plea bargain system under which suspects can receive lighter sentences if they admit crimes at early stages of investigations. Wiretapping and undercover operations are also permitted.
一方、早い時期に罪を認めると刑を軽減する司法取引があり、通信傍受やおとり捜査も認められている。

Plea bargains are common in the United States, where about one-third of the states record interrogations.
　約３分の１の州が可視化を取り入れている米国でも、司法取引は活発に行われている。

In Japan, investigators face suspects for long hours in investigation rooms, to conduct detailed questioning that spans from suspects' childhoods to the motives for their alleged crimes. In cases involving organized crime syndicates, investigators try to win over suspects and obtain statements implicating gang leaders.
　日本では捜査官が取調室で長時間にわたり容疑者と向き合いながら、生い立ちから犯行の動機に至るまで詳細に調べる。暴力団などがかかわる組織犯罪では、容疑者を説得して上層部の関与の供述を引き出すこともする。

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Give investigators more tools

Many investigators have expressed concern about making audio and video recordings of the entire interrogation process.
　取り調べの全過程を録音・録画することに対する懸念は、捜査関係者に多い。

It is important to prevent false charges. But at the same time, public safety should not be threatened because criminal cases are left unsettled with authorities unable to indict the real culprits. It is essential to reconcile these two goals when considering the introduction of a recording system.
　冤罪を防ぐことは大切だ。同時に、真犯人を起訴できず事件が未解決に終わるなどして、治安が揺らぐことがあってはならない。可視化を考える上で、その両立をどう図るかが重要になる。

Before the full-scale adoption of such a system, it may be necessary to consider the introduction of a new investigative process that facilitates such methods as court-approved wiretapping and sting operations, so police and investigators can collect material evidence in addition to statements from suspects.
　可視化を本格導入する場合、例えば裁判所の許可に基づき、通信傍受やおとり捜査などを用いやすくして、警察・検察が供述以外の物的証拠を集められるようにするなど、新たな捜査手法を検討する必要もあるだろう。

As the lay judge system is now in its second year of operation, public interest in the judiciary has been increasing. Discussions about the introduction of an interrogation recording system should be conducted in the public eye.
　裁判員裁判が２年目を迎え、司法に対する国民の関心は高まっている。国民の目に見える形で、可視化論議を重ねてほしい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 23, 2010)
（2010年8月23日01時18分 読売新聞）