Report and Recommendations - Scottish Government

either a nominated or duty solicitor. At present, the Review is unaware of anypracticable alternative location at which a child might be interviewed. Thereare some Family Protection suites in certain police areas used for the interview,and medical examination, of victims of crime. There has been somesuggestion that children ought to be interviewed in that type of environment.Although that may be an ideal for consideration, problems of security andthose associated with both victim and suspect being present at the samelocation militate against the use of such facilities for this purpose.6.3.9 Although the fact that a suspect is a child is a factor to be taken into accountby a court in determining the fairness of any interview, there are fewadditional protections, over and above those available to all suspects, whichapply to the questioning of child suspects at a police station. A child suspect,who is arrested or subject to section 14 detention, must have that factintimated to his/her parent or other responsible person in whose care the childnormally rests 11 . It has to be recognised that many child suspects have comefrom troubled, if not disturbed, backgrounds in which relations with theirparents have deteriorated to such an extent that the presence of the parents atthe police station would be unlikely to assist either the child or theinvestigation. In some instances, a parent may be involved in the offence. Inthese situations, a different relation, social worker or other responsible personmay, at the option of the child, require to be asked to assist. That person has a11 1995 Act s 15(4)207