Mathematics 1228A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: False Confession, Lmfao, Soft Sell
29 Apr 2018
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Chapter 2: The Psychology of Police Investigations
❖ Police Interrogations
- Main goal: interview suspect for gathering evidence+ obtaining a confession
- Cofessios eidee is ofte ieed as a poseuto’s ost potet eapo
- In NA, confession has to be backed up with other evidence
- Used to use physical force for confessions, promise lenient treatment, imply threats to
loved ones
❖ Reid Model of Interrogation
- 9 step model of interrogation used in NA to get confessions
3 part process:
1. Gather evidence related to crime and to interview witnesses and victims
2. Conduct non-accusatorial interview of the suspect to assess any evidence of deception
(eg. to determine whether the suspect is lying when he or she claims to be innocent
3. Conduct an accusatorial interrogation of the suspect if he/she is perceived to be guilty in
which a 9 step procedure is implemented
i) Suspect confronted with guilt, if no evidence, confronter can say evidence exists
ii) Psychological themes developed to allow suspect to rationalize/excuse the crime
o Eg. telling a murderer that the interrogators understand why he committed the
crime/ the crime as even justified
iii) Iteupt a stateets of deial to esue does’t get the uppe had i
interrogation
iv) Iteogato oeoes suspet’s objections to the changes
v) If suspect withdraws/decreases attention, interrogator gets closer LMFAO
vi) Interrogator is sympathetic and understanding and urges the suspect to come clean
vii) Offers suspect explanations for the crime= self-incrimination easier
o Eg. suggest murder is accidental
viii) Once suspect accepts responsibility, then interrogator tries to get full confession
ix) Gets suspect to write and sign a full confession
Other tips:
- Plain room to remove distractions
- Having evidence folder in hand
- Make sure suspect is alone in room before entering
- This model tries to reverse things and make consequences of confessions outweigh
anxiety related to dishonesty
2 Interrogation categories:
i) Miiizatio Tehiues = soft sell tactics to lull the suspect into a false sense
of security
ii) Maiize Tehiues = scare tactics to intimidate a suspect believed to be guilty
o Eg. exaggerating seriousness of offence/making false claims about
evidence/nonexistence eyewitnesses
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
❖ The Use of the Reid Model in Actual Interrogations
- Almost always use isolating suspect from friends/family to establish rapport+ trust
- Less frequent, confronting with guilt+ appealing to self-interest
- Less common, pretending to have evidence
- Very rare, threatening for not cooperating + physical intimidation
- Higher confessions when using Reid, but CANNOT say cause and effect
❖ 3 Potential Problems with the Reid Model of Interrogation
1+2= ability to detect deception and biases when an interrogator incorrectly believes suspect is
guilty
3= coercive/suggestive interrogation that leads to false confessions
1) Detecting Deception:
- interrogation begins after initial assessment to determine whether suspect is guilty
- VERY DIFFICULT TO DETECT DECEPTION
- Suspect Charter of Rights and Freedoms= rights to silence + legal counsel (verbal and
written)
o You need not to say anything
o You have nothing to hope from any promise or favour
o You have nothing to fear from any threat
- Many ppl do NOT understand their legal rights, esp youth + impaired intellectually
2) Investigator Bias
- Police officers entering an interrogation setting already believing that a suspect is guilty
Study results:
Interrogators with guilty expectations:
- asked more questions indicating belief of guilt
- used higher frequency of interrogation techniques
- judged suspects
- put more pressure to confess
- more corrosive
In summary, investigative biases= coercive interrogations to appear more guilty or both
interrogator and neutral observe, even if the suspect is innocent
❖ Interrogation, Practices and the Courts
- Trial judge decides whether confession evidence can be used in court
- Judge bases it on if it was voluntary + competent when providing confession
- So confessions from overt/psychological coercion is not acceptable in court
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
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MATH 1228A/B Full Course Notes
Verified Note
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Document Summary
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