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ABOUT THE DOCK

TYPES OF DOCK 
There are two main types of dock. 
1. Firstly, a secure dock. This is an enclosed and sealed space with floor to ceiling walls, and with a glass panel in front. It's been likened to a security cage. This is generally used for defendants who are remanded in custody.
2. Secondly, there is an open dock. These are not sealed, and instead they have lower wooden walls, which do not go all the way from the floor to the ceiling. In the dock the defendant is separated away from others in court, and only in very limited circumstances may the defendant be allowed to sit outside the dock on a chair.

THE CONTROVERSY OF THE DOCK
The dock is quite a controversial topic in England, and it has been met with a lot of opposition. 

The rationale in favour of the dock is that the defendant may pose a security risk to others, and the dock is a way to ensure the defendant is securely locked away. 

The arguments against the dock were highlighted in a report entitled In The Dock published in 2015 by JUSTICE. The report argued that: the dock is incompatible with the defendant's right to a fair trial, it goes against the presumption of innocence, and adversely affects the defendant's dignity. Many criminal defence lawyers also complain that it impedes communication between the defendant and the defence lawyers. For example, if a defendant wishes to say something to his or her lawyer during the trial, the dock makes this impossible. 

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