Imagine being confronted by the police about a crime that you heard about on the news recently. At first, the police are asking simple questions about where you were the day the crime took place, but the demeanour of the interview shifts and the police begin to accuse you of the crime. Many individuals have the misconception that one would never admit to a crime he or she did not commit, regardless of the circumstances. However, this misconception frequently turns out differently than one intends. It is an unfortunate yet all too real fact that people will falsely confess under various circumstances, and there are several factors that are likely to increase the risk of a false confession. One contributing factor to increased risk of a false …show more content…
The use of popular interrogation techniques, such as the accusatory and confession-driven Reid technique on the public has raised several issues, including the matter of false confessions. When these techniques are used on vulnerable populations, the effects are amplified because of the susceptibility of said vulnerable individuals. Those who are categorized as “vulnerable” are those who are especially susceptible to being wounded or hurt in any manner (Eastwood, 2017). An individual’s susceptibility can result from temporary circumstances, such as fatigue and isolation, mental illness contributing to lack of reality in statements, cognitive deficits and intellectual disabilities, and one’s age (Kassin et al., 2010). In a study conducted by Drizin and Leo (2004), one hundred twenty-five interrogation-induced false confessions were analyzed. It was determined that juveniles encompassed approximately thirty-three percent of proven false confessions. In addition, fifty-five percent of the analyzed sample was composed of youth aged fifteen and under (Leo and Drizin, 2004). Evidently, youth in this …show more content…
Vulnerable individuals who possess intellectual deficits and restricted social skills are at higher risk for false confessions as they are, “Easily confused, concrete (as opposed to abstract) thinkers, often lack the ability to appreciate the seriousness of a situation, may not understand the long-term consequences of their actions … highly submissive (especially eager to please authority figures), compliant, suggestible, and responsive to stress and pressure” (Drizin & Leo, 2004). These characteristics make vulnerable individuals more sensitive to leading questions, minimization and maximization techniques, and social desirability effects. Specifically, those possessing intellectual disabilities are accustomed to various figures of authority to guide their choices. When interrogated by an officer, a highly upheld authority figure to most, these individuals tend to comply without dissent, due to the connotation of an officer’s inherent power and authority (Kassin et al., 2010). Evidently, this propensity to acquiesce is disadvantageous, as these individuals will likely agree to any request, or will latch on to any narrative contamination introduced by officers that will result in coerced-compliant false confessions. Overall, regardless of the circumstances, providing a false confession is futile for an