Examining the Possibility of Expanding the Use of Digital Images Recorded in the "Audio-Visual Recording of Custodial Interrogation" System

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20860
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05656 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0105:Law and related fields
• Research Institution: Chuo University (2019); Tokyo Metropolitan University (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Mariko 中央大学, 国際情報学部, 准教授 (90826132)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 許容性 / 証拠 / 電子データ / 取調べ / 伝聞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to examine the possibility of expanding the use of digital images recorded in the "Audio-Visual Recording of Custodial Interrogation" System, which has recently been introduced in Japan to verify the voluntariness of confessions or other disadvantageous statements of the accused that are contained in their depositions. Although digital images recorded in the system are supposed to be used as supplementary evidence, it appears that they can be used to directly prove the truth of the matter asserted, which is the question to be left open. This research considers whether the digital images recorded in the system can be used to prove guilt or innocence, and if so, whether they need to meet more strict requirements than those for depositions, given potential dangers of digital images. The article of this research is accepted for inclusion in the HCC14 conference e-proceedings to be published by Springer.

Free Research Field

刑事法

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は英語によるものであり、日本国内でのみ議論されることの多い日本の刑事手続について、その一部ではあるものの、正確に紹介し、日本での議論状況を刑事法の分野にとどまらず世界に共有する意義は大きいと思われる。日本国内に対しても、新しく導入された「取調べの録音・録画制度」において想定されている内容に関連して生じ得る問題について、電磁的記録の潜在的な危険性もふまえながら検討するもので、一定の示唆を提供するものと思われる。