“Reconstructing the role of the appropriate adult in England and Wales”

Source: (2006) Criminology and Criminal Justice. 6(2): 219–237.

The definition of the role of the ‘appropriate adult’ for young
suspects in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 Code of
Practice C is ambiguous and contradictory. This article argues that
the role has been socially constructed by the legislator, the courts,
young people, the police and appropriate adults themselves.
Following various recommendations to use volunteers as
appropriate adults, this article revisits the nature of the role in light
of a case study of a volunteer appropriate adult service. The results
demonstrate that, in terms of volunteer practice, the role has been
constructed to include elements of due process, welfare and crime
prevention, but has to operate within the constraints of crime
control and managerialism. Hence, this article concludes that the
role of the appropriate adult should be reconstructed building on
the volunteers’ welfare tendencies and that, although a number of
cultural and practical obstacles would have to be overcome, he or
she should be joined by a mandatory legal adviser to ensure that
due process is respected.