Interviewing Suspects Flashcards
Who were the pps in Mann?
99 Kent police officers (24f,75m, mean age 34.3) majority were detectives.
What was the procedure in Mann?
Pps asked to judge truthfulness of real life interviews than had been taped. Shown 54 clips, 14 suspects. Showed head and torso, 6-145 seconds. Filled out a Q about experiences of detecting lies, then watched the clips, after they had to, indicate truth or lie, how confident, scale of 1-7, behaviour cues used to detect.
What were the results in Mann?
Police officers significantly better in detecting lies, than chance, 50%.
66.2% in lies
63.6% in truths.
Cues mentioned, direction of gaze, movements, fidgeting, vagueness.
What were the conclusions from Mann?
Officers reasonably good at detecting lies, above chance.
However no control group due to ethics of privacy so can’t compare.
Some evidence of the more experience, the better at detecting lies.
The best at detecting relied on inconsistency in stories
What are the first 3 steps of Inbau’s interrogation techniques?
Direct positive confrontation- suspect told they are considered to have committed the crime.
Theme development- tell suspect aspects that minimise their involvement
Handling denials- repeated denials not allowed/ interrupted
What are the second 3 steps to Inbau’s interrogation technique?
Overcoming objectives- stop acknowledging reasons for innocence, suspect will stop making them.
Procurement and retention of suspects attention- use eye contact and their name.
Handling suspects passive mood- facilitate a remorseful mood, focus on the distress of the victim.
What are the last 3 steps of Inbau’s interrogation technique?
Presenting an alternative question- presents 2 accounts of the crime, both incriminating, but allows them to explain why they committed.
Having suspect orally relate details of offence- when agreeing to one account, they explain in more detail.
Converting oral into written- confession written and signed to stop withdrawal.
What was the aim of Gudjohnsson?
Document a case of a full confession of a youth who was at the time distressed and susceptible to interrogative pressure.
What were the participants in Gudjohnsson?
Case study of a 17 year old, accused of 2 murders, called FC.
He had average intelligence and had no mental illness
What is the background of the case in Gudjohnsson?
In 1987, 2 elderly women battered to death in their home, savings missing, both sexually assaulted. FC arrested cos inconsistency in his movements and he was spending more than usual.
Denied access to a solicitor, interviewed, next day said his confession to his solicitor. A year later he was released and someone else found guilty.
What happened in the police interview in Gudjohnsson?
FC first interview was nearly 14 hours. First he said he wasn’t near the scene, repeatedly accused and then agreed.
Police said he was sexually impotent.
He retracted his confession the next day, in front of duty solicitor, then confessed again under pressure about failure of successful relationships with women, 3 further interviews.
What was in the psychiatric examination of FC in Gudjohnsson?
No evidence of mental illness, IQ of 94, stable extrovert personality on the EPI.
however scored 10(very high) on Gudjohnsson suggestibility scale.
What is the conclusion in Gudjohnsson?
A case of ‘coerced complaint false confession’. FC gave in to escape the situation of the interviews. False confessions can happen to anyone, not just those with a mental illness or low IQ.
What was the aim for Mann?
Test the ability of officers to distinguish truth and telling lies during interviews with suspects.
