Understanding Police Interrogation

Understanding Police Interrogation
Author: William Douglas Woody
Publisher: NYU Press
Total Pages: 328
Release: 2020-03-03
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1479816574

Uses techniques from psychological science and legal theory to explore police interrogation in the United States Understanding Police Interrogation provides a single comprehensive source for understanding issues relating to police interrogation and confession. It sheds light on the range of factors that may influence the outcome of the interrogation of a suspect, which ones make it more likely that a person will confess, and which may also inadvertently lead to false confessions. There is a significant psychological component to police interrogations, as interrogators may try to build rapport with the suspect, or trick them into thinking there is evidence against them that does not exist. Also important is the extent to which the interrogator is convinced of the suspect’s guilt, a factor that has clear ramifications for today’s debates over treatment of black suspects and other people of color in the criminal justice system. The volume employs a totality of the circumstances approach, arguing that a number of integrated factors, such as the characteristics of the suspect, the characteristics of the interrogators, interrogation techniques and location, community perceptions of law enforcement, and expectations for jurors and judges, all contribute to the nature of interrogations and the outcomes and perceptions of the criminal justice system. The authors argue that by drawing on this approach we can better explain the likelihood of interrogation outcomes, including true and false confessions, and provide both scholars and practitioners with a greater understanding of best practices going forward.

Police Interrogation and American Justice

Police Interrogation and American Justice
Author: Richard A. Leo
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2009-07-01
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0674033701

"Read him his rights." We all recognize this line from cop dramas. But what happens afterward? In this book, Richard Leo sheds light on a little-known corner of our criminal justice system--the police interrogation. Incriminating statements are necessary to solve crimes, but suspects almost never have reason to provide them. Therefore, as Leo shows, crime units have developed sophisticated interrogation methods that rely on persuasion, manipulation, and deception to move a subject from denial to admission, serving to shore up the case against him. Ostensibly aimed at uncovering truth, the structure of interrogation requires that officers act as an arm of the prosecution. Skillful and fair interrogation allows authorities to capture criminals and deter future crime. But Leo draws on extensive research to argue that confessions are inherently suspect and that coercive interrogation has led to false confession and wrongful conviction. He looks at police evidence in the court, the nature and disappearance of the brutal "third degree," the reforms of the mid-twentieth century, and how police can persuade suspects to waive their Miranda rights. An important study of the criminal justice system, Police Interrogation and American Justice raises unsettling questions. How should police be permitted to interrogate when society needs both crime control and due process? How can order be maintained yet justice served?

Police Interrogation and American Justice

Police Interrogation and American Justice
Author: Richard A. Leo
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 385
Release: 2009-09-30
Genre: Law
ISBN: 0674265351

"Read him his rights." We all recognize this line from cop dramas. But what happens afterward? In this book, Richard Leo sheds light on a little-known corner of our criminal justice system--the police interrogation. Incriminating statements are necessary to solve crimes, but suspects almost never have reason to provide them. Therefore, as Leo shows, crime units have developed sophisticated interrogation methods that rely on persuasion, manipulation, and deception to move a subject from denial to admission, serving to shore up the case against him. Ostensibly aimed at uncovering truth, the structure of interrogation requires that officers act as an arm of the prosecution. Skillful and fair interrogation allows authorities to capture criminals and deter future crime. But Leo draws on extensive research to argue that confessions are inherently suspect and that coercive interrogation has led to false confession and wrongful conviction. He looks at police evidence in the court, the nature and disappearance of the brutal "third degree," the reforms of the mid-twentieth century, and how police can persuade suspects to waive their Miranda rights. An important study of the criminal justice system, Police Interrogation and American Justice raises unsettling questions. How should police be permitted to interrogate when society needs both crime control and due process? How can order be maintained yet justice served?

The Psychology of Interrogations and Confessions

The Psychology of Interrogations and Confessions
Author: Gisli H. Gudjonsson
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 704
Release: 2003-05-27
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0470857943

This volume, a sequel to The Psychology of Interrogations, Confessions and Testimony which is widely acclaimed by both scientists and practitioners, brings the field completely up-to-date and focuses in particular on aspects of vulnerability, confabulation and false confessions. The is an unrivalled integration of scientific knowledge of the psychological processes and research relating to interrogation, with the practical investigative and legal issues that bear upon obtaining, and using in court, evidence from interrogations of suspects. * Accessible style which will appeal to academics, students and practitioners * Authoritative integration of theory, research, practical implications and vivid case illustration * Coverage of topical issues like confabulation, false memory, and false confessions Part of the Wiley Series in The Psychology of Crime, Policing and Law

Interviewing and Interrogation for Law Enforcement

Interviewing and Interrogation for Law Enforcement
Author: John E. Hess
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 124
Release: 2010-05-26
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1437778968

Easy-to-read and practical, this text uses a survey approach and numerous examples to illustrate interviewing skills and techniques. Using his years of experience as an instructor at the FBI Academy, the author dispels some of the mystery surrounding the interview process by sharing techniques and ideas that have been used successfully. The author has years of experience as an FBI academy instructor. Practical tips and examples throughout.

The Suspect's Statement

The Suspect's Statement
Author: Martha Komter
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 221
Release: 2019-04-25
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1107059488

Explores how suspect statements are elicited in police interrogations, written down and transformed into a document that is cited in court.

How the Police Generate False Confessions

How the Police Generate False Confessions
Author: James L. Trainum
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2016-07-15
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1442244658

Despite the rising number of confirmed false confession cases, most people have a hard time grasping why someone would confess to a crime they did not commit, or even why a guilty person would admit to something that could put them in jail for life. How the Police Generate False Confessions takes you inside the interrogation room, exposing the tactics that law enforcement uses to make confessions happen. James L. Trainum reveals how innocent people can become suspects and then confessed criminals even when they have not committed a crime. Using real stories, he looks at the inherent coerciveness of the interrogation process and why so many false confessions contain so many of the details that only the true perpetrator would know. More disturbingly, the book examines how these same processes corrupt witness and victim statements, create lying informants and cooperators, and induce innocent people to plead guilty. Trainum also offers recommendations for change in the U.S. by looking at how other countries are changing the process to prevent such miscarriages of justice. The reasons that people falsely confess can be complex and varied; throughout How the Police Generate False Confessions Trainum encourages readers to critically evaluate confessions on their own by gaining a better understanding of the interrogation process.

Interviewing, Interrogation & Communication for Law Enforcement

Interviewing, Interrogation & Communication for Law Enforcement
Author: Davis
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
Total Pages: 543
Release: 2014-09-19
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1499065884

This book provides an overview of effectively collecting, understanding, and presenting information. First, this book examines various situations via math, grammar, and logic. It is important for officers to apply math and English to the law so that they may be able to effectively articulate their actions in court. For example, laws and police actions can be evaluated via truth tables and Venn Diagrams. Second, this book discusses interrogation techniques and body language. Manipulating a suspect and collecting the right information in a legal and effective manner is a part of police work. Third, this book presents a deposition. The defense lawyer may ask certain questions in order to discredit the officer or to undermine the officers report. Police officers should ask themselves the purpose of each question that is being asked during a deposition. Fourth, this book presents some resume information and typical job interview questions for potential police officers. Knowing what kinds of questions will be asked during an interview and effectively communicating to potential employers is essential. Fifth, this book discusses code information and handwriting comparisons. Code information may be important in a prison environment and handwriting comparisons allows for a totality of circumstance exercise. Sixth, this book discusses assumptions and limitation associated with information. Magic is a useful tool to demonstrate how flawed assumptions may lead to inaccurate conclusions. Seventh, this book provides a table that can be used to generate impromptu speeches. Various words can be randomly selected and the reader can use the words to create a short story. Eighth, this book discusses how to handle situations that deal with special situations and individuals who have disabilities. Finally, this book discusses various search techniques for evidence collection.