The Miranda Debate

This cogent, well-balanced anthology contains a diverse range of key writings on the complex issues raised by the United States Supreme Court’s controversial 1966 ruling in Miranda v. Arizona. One of the most significant and influential judicial decisions on criminal procedure, Miranda remains at the forefront of today’s debate about defendants’ constitutional rights and crime control.

The book contains four sections, each with an introduction by the volume editors that places the essays within a broader social context. The first section reviews the pre-Miranda law of confessions, Ernest Miranda’s crime and his victim, the Miranda decision, and the ways in which the courts and police adjusted to the ruling. The second section explores the ethical, legal, and public policy dimensions of Miranda. Section three examines how Miranda works (or doesn’t work) in the real-world setting of police interrogation and considers radically different interpretations of the empirical evidence. The book concludes with insightful discussions on the challenges and dilemmas that are likely to shape the future of Miranda.