False confessions Flashcards
The “confession rule”
In order for a confession to be admissible in court, it must be voluntary
According to the “confession rule,” what four factors deem a confession involuntary?
Physical abuse or brute force
Threats of harm
Prolonged isolation (lengthy interrogation)
Deprivation of sleep, food, water
The “corruption hypothesis”
Cases with false confessions exhibit other kinds of faulty evidence (eyewitness ID, forensics, informants)
What are the two dimensions and four categories of false confessions?
Instrumental vs authentic
Coerced vs voluntary
What are three incorrect assumptions of the Reid Technique?
Innocent person won’t confess
Innocent won’t agree to interrogation
Innocent won’t fall for police tricks
What four recommendations have psychologists given for improving interrogations?
Recording whole interrogation
Time limits - anything above 4 hrs unreliable
Adult safeguards for minors - presence of guardian/legal council
Provide expert testimony to jury
What are four problems with the Mr. Big procedure?
Morally questionable (invasive, deceptive, persistent)
Costly and time consuming
Unreliable confessions
Lack of training manuals or records
What is the 2-part test to determine admissability of Mr. Big procedure?
1st prong - confession inadmissible unless probative value outweighs prejudicial impact
2nd prong - confession inadmissible if police used violence/threats or preyed upon suspect vulnerability
Study - power of confession
Drizin & Leo (2004)
Method - studied 125 proven false confessions
Results - average duration: 16 hours; 81% convicted at trial; recanted confessions or evidence of coerced confession still led to conviction
Study - impact of differing confession reliability on juries
Kassin & Sukel (1997)
Method - Ps (mock jurors) read murder trial transcript with three conditions: high pressure confession, low pressure confession, no confession
Results - high pressure confession only slightly reduced guilty verdict over low pressure confession
Study - confession impact on eyetwitness memory
Hasel & Kassin (2009)
Method - Ps witness theft than ID culprit via full lineup; culprit not in lineup (all false IDs)
Results - 60% change ID if told another person confessed; confidence increased if their ID confessed
Study - eliciting false confessions
Kassin & Keichel (1996)
Method - Ps given typing task, told not to hit “alt” key or computer will crash; Ps sorted into fast typing or slow typing condition (vulnerability) and eyewitness present or no eyewitness condition; computer crashes and P accused
Results - 100% people in typing fast, eyetwitness condition confess, 60% internalize guilt; None in typing slow, no witness condition internalize guilt, yet 33% confess
