noun phrase · neutral

pre-trial detention

/priː ˈtraɪəl dɪˈtɛnʃən/pre·TRI·al de·TEN·tion

Band 7+speakingtask2

holding a suspect in custody before their trial takes place

Examples

Human rights groups protested against months of pre-trial detention without formal charges.

He spent four weeks in pre-trial detention before being released on bail.

Excessive use of pre-trial detention can undermine the presumption of innocence.

Band 8 sentence

Excessive reliance on pre-trial detention has been criticised for disproportionately affecting marginalized defendants and delaying justice.

Collocations

  • held in pre-trial detention
  • extended pre-trial detention
  • period of pre-trial detention

Word family

pre-trial adjdetention noundetain verb

Common mistakes

trial detentionpre-trial detention

pre trial detentionpre-trial detention

Say it for a higher band

5kept in jail before trial6held before trial7+pre-trial detention

Synonyms

remand

Easily confused

remand

The magistrate ordered that the defendant be remanded until the next hearing.

Related words

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