False Confessions
Many people don’t understand why someone would make a false confession in court when they
didn’t commit the crime, but they don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. There was no proof of
how often it occurred until DNA testing was found to exonerate a large amount of people who had
falsely confessed. This has brought a large amount of awareness to the problem, and has caused
more studies and research to be conducted on why this is. Most of the blame can be attributed, “to
psychological pressure placed upon them during police interrogations” (Garrett, p. 18). Police
intentionally feed the suspect information regarding the crime which makes it seem like they were
at the scene of the crime when they’re in court. This technique is used by the police to satisfy the
Criminal Justice system’s need to blame someone for the crime and to make themselves look good
at getting confessions. It also allows all parties involved to get through a trial quicker, since their
main goal is to get money from the trials and get through the heavy case load that’s constantly upon
them.
didn’t commit the crime, but they don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. There was no proof of
how often it occurred until DNA testing was found to exonerate a large amount of people who had
falsely confessed. This has brought a large amount of awareness to the problem, and has caused
more studies and research to be conducted on why this is. Most of the blame can be attributed, “to
psychological pressure placed upon them during police interrogations” (Garrett, p. 18). Police
intentionally feed the suspect information regarding the crime which makes it seem like they were
at the scene of the crime when they’re in court. This technique is used by the police to satisfy the
Criminal Justice system’s need to blame someone for the crime and to make themselves look good
at getting confessions. It also allows all parties involved to get through a trial quicker, since their
main goal is to get money from the trials and get through the heavy case load that’s constantly upon
them.
When the defendant pleads guilty in court, it was found in a study that many of the exonerees did more
than just confess. They, “gave rich, detailed, and accurate information about the crime that only the
culprit could have known” (Garrett, p. 19). This sways the jury and the judge to believe the innocent
defendant must be guilty. Confessions are held as the highest evidence in court (even including DNA
testing) which means many of these defendants are incriminating themselves without needing any
further proof of their guilt.
than just confess. They, “gave rich, detailed, and accurate information about the crime that only the
culprit could have known” (Garrett, p. 19). This sways the jury and the judge to believe the innocent
defendant must be guilty. Confessions are held as the highest evidence in court (even including DNA
testing) which means many of these defendants are incriminating themselves without needing any
further proof of their guilt.
The other mystery we face for this problem is why would a defendant falsely confess to a crime?
Often, the police uses a suspect’s intelligence and knowledge of the system against them by trying to
convince the suspect they committed the crime. They accomplish this by using psychological tricks and
persuasion, but the mentally retarded, mentally ill, or young are already at a disadvantage and easily
succumb. If the persuasion and coercion doesn’t work, then the police changes to more harsh tactics
involving threatening, fabrications/deception, or convincing the suspect that they have something to
gain from their confession.
Often, the police uses a suspect’s intelligence and knowledge of the system against them by trying to
convince the suspect they committed the crime. They accomplish this by using psychological tricks and
persuasion, but the mentally retarded, mentally ill, or young are already at a disadvantage and easily
succumb. If the persuasion and coercion doesn’t work, then the police changes to more harsh tactics
involving threatening, fabrications/deception, or convincing the suspect that they have something to
gain from their confession.
An even bigger issue is if, “the officer already believes that the suspect committed the crime and
is not likely to take ‘no’ as an answer” (Chapman, p. 162). This means they will do whatever
they have to in order to get the false confession and this can cause the suspect to second guess
their innocence and, “form false memories of the crimes that they did not commit”
(Chapman, p. 162). Even though police are required to record their interrogations when they use
it as evidence in trial, they can partially record it and cut some parts out that would show the
interrogation was contaminated. Their excuse if questioned about the rest of the recording is
simply that it wasn’t relevant or that it would take too long to listen to the whole thing, so only
the most important parts could be shown.
is not likely to take ‘no’ as an answer” (Chapman, p. 162). This means they will do whatever
they have to in order to get the false confession and this can cause the suspect to second guess
their innocence and, “form false memories of the crimes that they did not commit”
(Chapman, p. 162). Even though police are required to record their interrogations when they use
it as evidence in trial, they can partially record it and cut some parts out that would show the
interrogation was contaminated. Their excuse if questioned about the rest of the recording is
simply that it wasn’t relevant or that it would take too long to listen to the whole thing, so only
the most important parts could be shown.
The unfortunate thing, is that it is nearly impossible to prove when a defendant is giving a false
confession, and to know how many innocent people are in prison right now because of them. As a result
of this serious flaw in the Criminal Justice system, police are held under stricter rules and laws for
interrogating suspects and more scientific evidence is starting to be required.
confession, and to know how many innocent people are in prison right now because of them. As a result
of this serious flaw in the Criminal Justice system, police are held under stricter rules and laws for
interrogating suspects and more scientific evidence is starting to be required.
Works Cited
Chapman, F.E. (2013). Coerced Internalized False Confessions and Police Interrogations: The Power of Coercion. Law & Psychology Review, Vol. 37, 160-192.
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