Chapter 3

Question 1

Accusatiorial approach

Answer 1

In police interrogation, an aggressive questioning procedure that assumes the suspect is responsible for a criminal offense and has the goal of obtaining a confession. Compare with information-gathering approach

Question 2

Case-linkage analysis (CLA)

Answer 2

Method of identifying crimes that are likely to have been committed by the same offender because of similarities across the crimes

Question 3

Coerced-internalized false confessions

Answer 3

These occur when innocent persons-who are tired, confused, and highly psychologically vulnerable-come to believe that they actually committed the crime

Question 4

Coerced-compliant false confessions

Answer 4

Admissions of guilt most likely to occur after prolonged and intense interrogation experiences, such as when sleep deprivation is a feature. The suspect, in desperation to avoid further discomfort, admits to the crime even knowing that they are innocent

Question 5

Cognitive interview

Answer 5

Method of interviewing that uses memory retrieval and various communication techniques aimed at increasing the amount of accurate information from witnesses and victims. Its goal is to make the interviewee aware of all events that happened in a situation

Question 6

Cognitive lie detection

Answer 6

Method of interviewing and interrogation that asks questions the suspect does not anticipate

Question 7

Cognitive load

Answer 7

During police interviewing and interrogation, this refers to the cognitive demands placed on the interviewee, with the premise that this will make it more difficult for the interviewee to be deceptive. An example would be asking the person to recount the events of the past day in reverse order of when they occurred

Question 8

Commitment bias

Answer 8

The phenomenon that once a witness commits to a certain viewpoint, such as identification of a face, the witness is less likely to change their mind

Question 9

Composition bias

Answer 9

Characteristic of a police lineup that unfairly encourages a witness to identity the suspect in custody (e.g no lineup members approximate the suspect’s age)

Question 10

Confirmation bias

Answer 10

The tendency to look for evidence that confirms one’s preexisting expectations or beliefs

Question 11

Control question technique/test (CQT)

Answer 11

The most preferred procedure by professional polygraphers in case requiring the investigation of specific incidents, such as criminal acts. Compare with Guilty Knowledge test

Question 12

Crime scene profiling

Answer 12

The development of a rough behavioural or psychological sketch of an offender based on clues identified at the crime scene. Also may be referred to as offender profiling

Question 13

Cross-race effect

Answer 13

Research findings that people are more accurate in recognizing persons of their own race

Question 13

Differential experience hypothesis

Answer 13

States that individuals will have a greater familiarity or experience with members of their own race and will thus - in identification procedures - be better able to discern differences among members of their own race

Question 14

Double-blind lineup

Answer 14

A lineup procedure in which neither the person making an identification nor the person administering the lineup knows the identity of the suspect

Question 15

Equivocal death analysis

Answer 15

Reconstruction of the personality profile and cognitive features (especially intentions) of deceased persons when the cause of death is not clear. Also called psychological autopsies

Question 16

Estimator variables

Answer 16

Pertain to potential sources of eyewitness error that are beyond the control of the criminal justice system

Question 17

Facial composites

Answer 17

Computerized or artist drawings of faces from information supplied by witnesses

Question 18

False confessions

Answer 18

Admissions of guilt that are not valid and are often but not necessarily induced by coercive interrogation procedures

Question 19

Geographical mapping

Answer 19

Concerned with analyzing the spatial patterns of crimes committed by numerous offenders over a period of time

Question 20

Geographical profiling

Answer 20

Focuses on the location of the crime and how it relates to the residence or base of operations of the offender. Assumes that serial offenders prefer to commit their crimes near their own residences

Question 21

Guilty Knowledge Test

Answer 21

A polygraph test that assesses the extent to which the polygraph examinee is aware of facts about a crime. The GKT is preferred by researchers, but is used less often by practicing polygraphers than the CQT

Question 22

Information-gathering approach

Answer 22

A method of police interviewing and interrogation that does not presume guilt on the part of the person being questioned, but rather seeks to obtain information about events surrounding a crime. Compare with accusatorial approach

Question 23

Investigative psychology

Answer 23

Umbrella term that refers to a scientific approach designed to improve our understanding of criminal behaviour and the investigative process

Question 24

Malingering

Answer 24

Response style in which the individual consciously fabricates or grossly exaggerates their symptoms

Question 25

Own-race bias

Answer 25

The tendency of people to be able to discriminate between faces of their own race better than those of other races

Question 26

PEACE model

Answer 26

A method of information gathering where the interviewer is encouraged to establish rapport and use open-ended questions

Question 27

Psychological autopsy

Answer 27

Primarily undertaken in an effort to make a responsible determination of what may have been in the mind of the deceased person leading up to and at the time of death-particularly if the death appears to be a suicide

Question 28

Psychological profiling

Answer 28

The gathering of information on a known individual who poses a threat or is believed to be dangerous

Question 29

Racial profiling

Answer 29

Illegal singling out of someone by law enforcement solely on the basis of their race or ethnicity

Question 30

Reconstructive psychological evaluation

Answer 30

Reconstruction of the personality profile and cognitive features (especially intentions) after a person is deceased. Also called psychological autopsy

Question 31

Reconstructive theory of memory

Answer 31

Perspective that memory is continually vilnerable to revision

Question 32

Reid method

Answer 32

The predominant method used by law enforcement in the United States to interview and interrogate criminal suspects. See also, accuastorial method

Question 33

Risk assessment

Answer 33

A systematic process of evaluating the likelihood that a person will engage in dangerous behaviour, even though the person has not made a direct or implied threat

Question 34

Sequential lineup

Answer 34

A live or photo lineup in which a witness views individuals in a series, requiring the witness to decide on whether to identify one individual before moving onto another.

Question 35

Show up

Answer 35

Identification procedure in which police present a single suspect to the eyewitnesses to see if the person will identify that individual as the perpetrator. Typically but not always followed up by a lineup procedure, where the suspect appears with foils

Question 36

Simultaneous lineup

Answer 36

A live or photo lineup in which a witness views individuals all at once, such as standing in a row or in a photo array.

Question 37

Suspect-based profiling

Answer 37

The process of collecting data on behavioral, personality, cognitive and demographic data on previous offenders in an attempt to identify other offenders. Often used to detect drug trafficking and terrorism-related criminal activtiy

Question 38

System variables

Answer 38

Originally defined as variables in eyewitnesses identifications that influence the accuracy of eyewitnesses identifications over which justice system has (or can exert) control

Question 39

Truth default theory

Answer 39

A new theory that proposes humans are far better at detecting truthfulness than deceitfulness

Question 40

Threat assessment

Answer 40

Concerned with predicting future violence or other undeseirable actions targeted at specific individuals or institutions after an expressed threat has been communicated

Question 41

Unconscious transference

Answer 41

Occurs when a person seen in one situation is confused with a person seen in another situation

Question 42

Voluntary false confessions

Answer 42

Confessions to crimes one did not commit, offered without coercion by others such as police or family members

Question 43

Weapon focus

Answer 43

Refers to the concentration of a victim’s or witness’s attention at a threatening object whole paying less attention to other details and events of a crime