Gudjonsson & mackeith 1990 - interviewing suspects - false confession case study

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To document a case of the false confession of a youth who was at the time distressed and susceptible to interrogative pressure

Question 2

Participants

Answer 2

CASE STUDY 17 yr old youth accused of 2 murders, average intelligence : FC

Question 3

background

Answer 3

in 1987 2 elderly women were found battered to death in their homes. their savings were gone and their was evidence of sexual assault.

FC was arrested due to inconsistency on his account of his whereabouts. no forensic evidence.

given no access to a solicitor and interviewed at length before giving a confession.

After a year in jail he was released when another person was found guilty of the crime.

Question 4

The police interview procedure

Answer 4

14 hour interview with 5 officers
after being repeatedly accused of lying confessed
many leading questions suggesting he was sexually impotent were used which he found distressing

Question 5

psychiatric examination

Answer 5

no evidence of mental illness

scored 10 on the gudjonsson suggestibility scale making him abnormal in this respect.

Question 6

Conclusions

Answer 6

a case of ‘coerced compliant’ false confession meaning he confessed to escape the interview situation

it shows this can happen to anyone not just the mentally ill.