Chapter 11(b) False Confessions Talbot Kellogg Community College Criminal Psychology Chapter 11(b) False Confessions Talbot Kellogg Community College
The Nature of False Confessions Confession – An admission of guilt. False Confession – An admission of guilt by an innocent. A Counterintuitive Human Behavior Saul Kassin No numbers available on prevalence. 200 DNA exonerations for wrongful confessions 45% of those saying they falsely confessed are telling the truth. 12% of prisoners, 10% high school students, 3 – 4% of college students admit to having falsely confessed to something. Perhaps the tip of the iceberg. (Some issues do not appear in the data) Police and prosecutors reject some false confessions. Plea bargains. Juvenile courts. 15 minutes of fame issues Lindberg baby
How new is this? 1692 Salem Witch Trials
Central Park Jogger Case Patricia Meili - 1989 Location of physical evidence. The presence of accomplices. Other details of the crime or related crimes. 5 suspects caught and within 72 hours, all had given detailed confessions. The teens--Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Kharey Wise
Additional information DNA was at the scene of the crime but did not match any of the 5. Matteus Reyes (2002): Confessed from prison of the violent rape. Identified details of the crime which had not been released to the public. Preserved DNA matched his own. He was in prison for raping 3 other women, and killing one after the 1989 investigation of the rape had ended.
What does Psychology tell us? Milgram’s Obedience Studyhttp://learningat.ke7.org.uk/socialsciences/Psychology/PsyRes13/Milgram.htm
What breeds obedience? Emotional distance of the victim Closeness and legitimacy of the authority Institutional authority The liberating effects of group influence
What does Psychology tell us? Milgram’s Obedience Study Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
What does Psychology tell us? Milgram’s Obedience Study Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Zimbardo’s Prison Study
Stanford Prison Study The issue of “Time”. The U.S. Supreme Court has never limited the amount of time for interrogations.
What does Psychology tell us? Milgram’s Obedience Study Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Zimbardo’s Prison Study Loftus work on false memories Confessions become reality
The interview What gets someone interviewed? A belief of guilt. How good are we at detecting deception? College Students 52.82 Polygrapher 55.67 Psychiatrists 57.61 Secret Service 64.12
Training to improve the accuracy of detecting deception within the interview. Accuracy Confidence 55% 5.9 46% 6.5 50% 7.05 Reid Technique Kassin & Forge (1999) Condition Laypeople Reid Training Police Detectives
Reaction Time Tests No Witness SLOW FAST 35% 65% 0 12% - - Witness 35% 65% 0 12% - - Witness SLOW FAST 89% 100% 44% 65% 6% 35% Confess Internalize Confabulate Kassim & Kiechal
Case Study Marty Tankleff 17 years old The crime The interview Tactics Result 1990 – 50 years to life. Other issues CBS
Studies of Innocence Often waive their Miranda rights More open and forthcoming Give more plausible denials which trigger harsher tactics The Innocence – Confession paradox Bluff of DNA evidence.
Innocents don’t confess! 2003 – Glen Harris, Peter Kent, Joseph Creedon