ABSTRACT
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), as subsequently amended, provide a statutory framework within which the police must operate when investigating crime. The PACE is supported by five Codes of Practice which provide an elaborate system of rules for dealing with suspects at all stages of an investigation. The Codes of Practice have been revised several times, most recently in 1999. They deal with: stop and search; search of premises and seizure; detention, treatment and questioning; identification of suspects; and tape recording. The custody officer must also tell an arrested suspect of his right to have someone informed of his arrest; to receive confidential legal advice free of charge; and to consult the codes of practice. Bail may be granted unconditionally or subject to conditions, such as that of residence in a bail hostel, imposed to ensure that any of the grounds which might justify remand in custody are avoided.
