The Past And Present : Tactics And Effectiveness

Determining a false confession proves difficult due to the multitude of dimensions involved. According to Kassin and Wrightsman’s (1985) survey of the literature, there are three main types of false confessions—voluntary, coerced-compliant, and coerced-internalized. Unlike coerced false confessions, voluntary false confessions arise as a result of someone willingly turning themselves into the police with an account of their crime (McCann, 1998). Voluntary false confessions can result from multiple motives, including an internalized need for punishment or to save someone else’s face. In contrast, coerced false confessions directly result from police interrogations. While coerced-compliant confessions are made to avoid interrogation, escape the stressful situation, or achieve some other reward, coerced-internalized confessions emerge when a suspects begins to

The most known is the Reid Technique, which is the one we see in murder and crime shows. In the article "How Police Interrogate Murder Suspects." The article describes the Reid Technique as “an accusatory method that relies on signals like anxious body language to assess lying.” (The Guardian). The Reid technique is most common in tv dramas. It portrays suspects being interrogated in a dark room and accused of the crime, while the investigators reveal all the evidence and throw different questions every five seconds. While this technique may work for our favorite t.v. cops, in the real world some are unsure of the effects. Saul Kassin, a professor of psychology has his doubts about the Reid method and argues that, “...the Reid technique can increase the risk of false confessions, especially among young suspects or those with mental health issues.” (The Guardian). While this could be proven to be true, Mr. Kassin doesn’t have to worry. Investigators apply the method most effective for each individual case. One new technique, proven to make the suspects share more information, is called the HIG. Robert Kolker, an investigative journalist says, “...it barely feels like an oppositional interrogation at all. You're there to talk very, very little and to listen a lot and hopefully get the person to say so much that they end up contradicting verifiable information from other means.” (McEvers). The HIG method of interrogation basically focuses on the suspect talking and the interrogator asking few, but guided questions and letting the suspect ramble on, hopefully providing information vital to the case. In the interview between McEvers and Kolker, McEvers and Kolker also talk about how in big, natural lit rooms with carpet the suspects tend to share more. Studies also show if the suspect has a warm drink in their hand they are more likely to have a positive opinion of

The Reid technique, developed by John E. Reid, has been a widely used technique in acquiring confessions from suspected criminals. While many users of the Reid technique have praised it, calling it "the best interrogation procedure" (Rodgers, 2015), the Reid technique has come under fire from several critics, claiming that it risks "obtaining inherently unreliable confessions" (Gallini 2009). The purpose of this essay will be to critically discuss the impact of the Reid technique, and its use by police officers to obtain confessions. It is important to discuss the Reid technique as it has recently received criticism for its use in obtaining false confessions from suspects, especially children or those with a lower IQ. Firstly, this essay will focus on the positive impacts of the Reid technique, and how it can be used as an effective method of interrogation in order to get a confession from a suspect. Furthermore, this essay will then state the negative impacts of using the Reid technique, and how it use has been involved in several false confessions. Finally, this essay will then state a possible alternative to the Reid technique in the PEACE interrogation technique, which has been used with great success in many countries. Overall, this essay will argue that while the Reid technique does have positive impacts, there are more suitable alternatives to interrogating suspects.

Throughout the article, False Confessions, Causes, Consequences, and Implications for Reform, many studies are presented and talk about their findings in false confessions and the causes of it. Throughout the article Kassin explores the correlations between false confessions, police tactics, police targeting, juries and judge judgements on the validity of confessions. We see that the studies made all lead up to same conclusion; victims that are wrongly targeted in interrogations, victims who are wrongly convicted, and victims of interrogation tactics are all indicted or persecuted because of a person’s ability to tell lies from the truth. In most cases people who did have training or received training in these tactics did about the same, if not equally, as the people who did not receive training. More research is still needed in order for police tactics and courtrooms to review the validity of

Furthermore, enhanced interrogation is useless because it does not pressure a detainee to speak the truth, but instead withholds precise and credible information from U.S federal agencies. In fact, according to 25 former interrogators and intelligence professionals from the U.S military say that, “ the application of psychological, emotional, and physical pressure can force a victim of torture to say anything just to end the painful experience. Neuroscience professor, shane O’mara says that” abusive interrogation techniques can “ compromise memory, mood, and eliciting accurate information, (O’mara).” Also, “The 1992 U.S. Army Interrogation Field Manual 34-52 states: “Experience indicates that the use of prohibited techniques is not necessary to gain the cooperation of interrogation sources, ( Interrogation Field Manual).” Use of torture and other illegal methods is a poor technique that yields unreliable results, may damage subsequent collection efforts, and can induce the source to say whatever he thinks the interrogator wants to hear, (CCR Justice).”

Researchers used previous data regarding the creation of false memories and confessions to hypothesize that with exceptionally suggestive investigative tactics, interviewers would be able to induce false memories of committing a crime within individuals. Researchers furthered this hypothesis to include comparisons between the two groups included in their experiment, crime committing (resulting in police contact) vs. traumatizing event. However, researchers did not disclose what specific differences they

In the process of police and law enforcement officers attempting to divulge the truth in matters consequently resulting in the possible or likely incarceration of an offender, there is most certainly going to be an instance of deception by the offender or possible suspect in efforts to free themselves from any wrongdoing or in attempts to conceal the facts of the case. Due to this grand scheme of deceit, the courts have ruled in favor of officers to do the same in efforts to expose and/or conjure the truth from an uncooperative prevaricator. In the utilization of this technique, officers are empowered with the ability to use their own trained approach to deceive the interviewee into complying with the officer’s investigation and providing them

Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, the American people were scared. As a result, the U.S. government wanted to ensure that any possible threat to the United States by terrorists would be stopped before a tragic event like the attacks on the World Trade Center could be repeated. Detainees with ties to terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda, for example, who were suspected of having key intelligence of a possible future attack would be interrogated. The manner in which these detainees were interrogated is the center of controversy as they used tactics that many would argue is torture. These methods became known as enhanced interrogation techniques. This paper will strive to answer whether enhanced interrogation techniques are actually

The Reid technique One of the most famous technique for interrogation is the Reid technique. According to the company' website, over 500,000 law enforcement and security professionals have attended the company’s interview and interrogation training programs since they were first offered in 1974. This technique is based of nine steps: The first step is the positive confrontation; the officer will present the fact from the case to the person being interrogated. The officer will say that the person might be considered as a suspect because there are proofs than connect him to the ongoing investigation.

This paper examines the role of persuasion within the Reid and PEACE model techniques of interrogation and how race and stereotype threats influence these interrogation styles. False confession is also defined and discussed. A variety of race and cultures are included, focusing primarily on African-American and Caucasian individuals. Police interrogation can be persuasive in many ways and effects the potential suspect physiologically and psychologically. Considering the discussed effects of police interrogation, the PEACE model technique seems to be the most persuasive technique of police interrogation. The PEACE model technique is preferred more among police and among the different studies.

When someone thinks of interrogation techniques their mind gravitates towards the cliché good cop bad cop routine. It is a classic calling card in stories and films alike where one cop intimidates the suspect and another is sympathetic towards them. However, real life interrogations are of course more complicated than they are portrayed in film. This paper will seek to learn more about the fundamental techniques that detectives utilize in the real world to incriminate suspects.

Interrogation describes the art of convincing an individual to give up information that is perceived to be withheld. Interrogation is commonly employed by law enforcement professionals on suspects from whom information and details pertaining the crimes they are accused of is sought. Interrogations are interviews with a basic goal of establishing a purposeful exchange to obtain information from a target, often perceived aggressive and antagonistic by many (Heuback, 2009).

The studies done by psychologist and scientist have shown the incompleteness of the results. Also, the accuracy of the information obtained from the enhanced interrogation has varied results. However, women will torture a man with psychological games to obtain the response they desire. The torture methods are not limited to the physical abuse, but the psychological abuse of playing mind games with the captives. Making promise or offering false deals to the terrorist are included in the psychological manipulation of the terrorists mind. There should be no finger crosses because that is cruel. Extensive amounts of physical and psychological methods that are applied into the interrogation practices of the United States. These methods of extracting information are unpredictable and unreliable methods to obtain the information from the terrorist suspects. Furthermore, the application of the barbaric and cruel interrogation methods should not be included in the interrogation of the

Moreover, the reason why enhanced methods being utilized during cross-examination is such a sensitive topic is due to the Global War on Terror (Ramos, DePuis, Galvin, Zolfaghari, and Cardeno 20). It is somewhat problematical to come to simple conclusion, whether a physical or a psychological torment should be used in order to obtain information, when human lives are at stake. While considering this, the most difficult obstacle for the interrogators is the fact, that there still can be an uncertainty about the information the suspect

Communication is the key to the art of interrogation. Interviewing and interrogation have similar aspects to one another, and both options are simple ways to obtain information (Meissner et al., 2012). Interrogations are often perceived as more hostile than just an interview. The basic goal is to obtain and secure information from the suspect, and this is done by the officer asking questions and engaging in conversation. In watching the Narcotics and Homeland team, the involved parties discussed a topic of interest and the interrogator made an assessment of the suspect based on their verbal responses as well as nonverbal behavior cues or actions. Many of the interrogations were successful due to the fact that the suspect confessed to where