False Confessions Flashcards
What are the two leading causes of wrongful convictions in the USA?
Eyewitness misidentifications (69%) and false confessions (29%).
What is one of the first known cases of a false confession?
The trial of Robert Hubert in 1666 during the Great Fire of London.
Why was Robert Hubert’s confession considered odd?
He confessed to starting the fire but got key facts wrong, such as:
- Claiming he threw a bomb through a bakery window (the bakery had no window).
- Mentioning the wrong street.
- Having physical impairments that made the act unlikely.
What notable case involved a suspected false confession in Perugia, Italy, in 2008?
Amanda Knox’s case.
How are suspects typically identified for interviews?
Through:
- Crime scene evidence.
- Witness reports or informants.
- Surveillance footage.
- Problematic relationships with the victim.
- History of similar crimes.
What does Willis & Todorov’s (2006) study on first impressions reveal?
People form judgments about traits like trustworthiness or aggression within milliseconds of seeing a face.
What is a confession in criminal proceedings?
An admission made by a defendant, which is admissible as evidence unless proven unreliable.
When is a confession considered unreliable?
If:
- It is physically impossible for the defendant to have committed the crime.
- The real perpetrator is found.
- Evidence establishes the defendant’s innocence.
What are the four possible interrogation outcomes?
- False denial: Guilty suspect claims innocence.
- False confession: Innocent suspect claims guilt.
- True confession: Guilty suspect confesses.
- Correct acquittal: Innocent suspect does not confess.
What is a false confession?
An admission to a crime the confessor did not commit, often accompanied by a detailed narrative.
What are the three types of false confessions?
- Voluntary: Made without external pressure.
- Coerced-compliant: Made to escape interrogation or gain a promised benefit.
- Coerced-internalised: Made when the suspect comes to believe they committed the crime.
Why might someone give a voluntary false confession?
- To protect someone else (e.g., a loved one).
- Seeking publicity or fame.
- Seeking absolution for real or imagined guilt.
What are the three types of risk factors for false confessions?
- Dispositional: Traits of the individual, such as adolescence or cognitive disability.
- Situational: Features of the interrogation, like isolation or false evidence.
- Innocence as a risk factor: Belief that truth will prevail, leading to compliance.
How does adolescence increase the risk of false confessions?
Adolescents are more impulsive, have less ability to consider long-term consequences, and are more susceptible to negative influences.
How does intellectual disability increase false confession risk?
Individuals may:
- Rely on authority figures.
- Have memory gaps or short attention spans.
- Lack impulse control.
- Be highly suggestible and compliant.
