刑事司法改革 冤罪防止と捜査力向上を図れ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 22, 2013)
Reform investigative system to prevent false charges
刑事司法改革　冤罪防止と捜査力向上を図れ（1月21日付・読売社説）

To regain public trust, prosecutors and police should establish a system to prevent false accusations and enhance investigative capabilities.
　検察や警察の信頼を取り戻すには、冤罪(えんざい)を防ぐとともに、捜査力を向上させる仕組みを確立する必要がある。

A subcommittee of the Justice Ministry's Legislative Council, which studied reform of the criminal justice system following a series of scandals involving prosecutors, has compiled a set of recommendations. On the basis of these proposals, the council will work out how to reform the criminal justice system.
　一連の検察不祥事を契機に、刑事司法制度の見直しを検討してきた法制審議会の部会が、基本構想案をまとめた。これをたたき台に制度作りを進める。

It is appropriate that the panel recommended the introduction of audiovisual recordings of interrogations, a major point at issue.
　焦点となっていた取り調べの録音・録画（可視化）について、導入の方向性を明確に打ち出したのは妥当と言える。

Interrogations in closed rooms could induce investigators to lead suspects into making false confessions, resulting in wrongful accusations.
　捜査官による供述の誘導を招きやすい密室での取り調べが、冤罪の要因になっている。

In a recent case, innocent people who were wrongly arrested on suspicion of sending online threats via their personal computers, which were later found to have been infected with a virus that allowed a third party to control them remotely, were forced to write statements confessing to crimes they did not commit.
無実の人が誤認逮捕されたパソコン遠隔操作事件では、身に覚えのない犯行を認めた供述調書まで作られた。

If audiovisual recordings are made during the questioning of suspects, interrogations can be verified by replaying recorded scenes. This would be effective in deterring high-handed investigations.
　可視化が制度化されれば、取り調べの様子を再生して検証できるようになる。強引な捜査を抑止する効果があるだろう。

===

Recording interrogations

The main sticking point is how much of the interrogations should be audiovisually recorded. To ensure these interrogations can be examined thoroughly, wide coverage is desirable.
　今後の論点は、取り調べのどこまでを録音・録画するかという可視化の範囲だ。チェック機能を高めるには、可能な限り広い範囲とすることが望ましい。

On the other hand, it is possible suspects involved in organized crime may hesitate to testify for fear of retaliation, making it difficult for investigators to solve crimes.
　一方で、録音・録画されていると、組織犯罪の容疑者が報復を恐れて供述を渋り、犯罪を解明できなくなる恐れもある。

It is understandable for the panel to suggest in its draft that a system should be devised to exclude audiovisual recordings of interrogations of suspects that could hinder investigations.
　構想案が、「捜査に支障が生じるような場面を、可視化の対象から除外できる制度が必要」と指摘したのは理解できる。

In deciding when and in what cases recordings should be excluded, it is important to analyze the results of audiovisual recordings of interrogations that have been conducted on a trial basis by prosecutors and police.
どのような場合に除外すべきか、検察や警察が取り組んでいる可視化の試行結果を分析することが大切だ。

The panel also proposed ways to collect evidence that would prevent investigators from relying on interrogations too much.
　取り調べに偏らない証拠収集の方策も提示されている。

===

Expand wiretapping

One method is an expanded use of wiretapping. Under the current law, wiretapping is allowed for certain crimes, such as those involving drugs and firearms. However, the number of cases in which this was permitted has been extremely limited.
　その一つが、電話などの通信傍受の拡大だ。現行法では対象が薬物や銃器による犯罪などに限定され、実施件数が極めて少ない。

The draft proposes an expansion of wiretapping to cover new and fast-rising types of organized crime, such as bank transfer scams. This recommendation is appropriate to ensure public safety.
　構想案は、振り込め詐欺など急増する新種の組織犯罪に対象を広げることを提案した。国民生活の安全を確保する上で適切だ。

The panel has also proposed that plea-bargaining, which is widely used in the United States and Europe, should be studied further.
　欧米で広く行われている司法取引も検討課題と位置づけた。

In plea-bargaining, prosecutors would seek a lesser punishment or decide not to prosecute if suspects reveal crimes committed by their accomplices.
　司法取引は、容疑者が共犯者の犯罪などを進んで明らかにした場合、検察が求刑を軽くしたり、訴追を見送ったりする仕組みだ。

While plea-bargaining is expected to win the cooperation of suspects, there is a possibility the victim of a crime would not understand if a suspect received a punishment not commensurate to the crime.
　捜査協力を促す効果が期待される反面、罪に見合う刑罰が科されないとして被害者の理解が得られない可能性がある。

We hope the issue of whether to introduce such methods will receive in-depth discussion.
　導入の是非について、議論を尽くしてもらいたい。

Also, it is urgent to review so-called hostage justice, under which suspects who deny the charges against them remain in custody. Depriving suspects of their freedom for a protracted period could pressure them into making confessions, one of the factors that have led to false accusations.
　否認した被告を保釈しない「人質司法」の見直しは急務である。長期間、自由を奪うことが、自白を迫る圧力となり、冤罪を招く一因になっている。

Proper rules on the custody of suspects must be drawn up.
適正な身柄拘束のルール作りを検討すべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 21, 2013)
（2013年1月21日01時50分  読売新聞）