Suspect personality, police interrogations, and false confessions: Maybe it is not just the situation

Forrest, Krista D.; Wadkins, Theresa A.; Larson, Bridget A.

doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.09.002

Cited by 34 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Some 15-25% of innocent defendants who have been exonerated by DNA and other evidence had issued false confessions (Scheck et al, 2000;White, 2003). In laboratory studies in which participants are accused of committed an offense such as damaging a computer program, the majority of participants do in fact falsely confess in certain conditions (see, e.g., Forrest, Wadkins, & Larson, 2006;Horselenberg, Merckelbach, & Josephs, 2003;Horselenberg et al, 2006;Kassin & Kiechel, 1996). Furthermore, a survey of police investigators found that investigators estimated that 23% of innocent suspects provided some form of confession during interrogation, though when outliers were removed from that analysis, estimates dropped to an average of approximately 5% (Kassin et al, 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey of people's attitudes and beliefs about false confessions

Henkel

Coffman

Dailey

2008

Behavioral Sci & The Law

104

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The attitudes and beliefs of jury eligible individuals regarding false confessions were investigated in order to uncover potential biases. Survey respondents provided perceptions of factors related to false confessions (e.g. their frequency and likely situational and dispositional risk variables). Results indicate that people possess an awareness that false confessions can occur and believe that a confession should not be taken as an absolute indicator of guilt. However, their understanding of predisposing and situational factors that contribute to false confessions was incomplete, as was their understanding of interrogation practices. Furthermore, respondents showed a marked bias against believing that they personally would ever falsely confess, which is discussed in the context of potential inconsistencies between people's self-report and their actual behaviors in naturalistic situations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A survey of people's attitudes and beliefs about false confessions

Henkel

Coffman

Dailey

2008

Behavioral Sci & The Law

104

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“…The majority of the excluded studies were not focused on interrogation style per se, but rather on certain dispositional factors. For instance, studies conducted by Forrest et al (2006), Horselenberg et al (2003), and Klaver et al (2008) utilized the Kassin and Kiechel paradigm but did not manipulate interrogation style. Klaver et al manipulated plausibility of committing the crime, whereas Forrest et al and Horselenberg et al concentrated on individual suspect differences.…”

Section: Experimental Laboratory Study Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…,Beune et al (2009; see also Beune 2009), Forrest et al (2006,Horgan et al (2012),Horselenberg et al (2003),Kebbell and Daniels (2006),,Klaver et al (2008),Nash andWade (2009), andvan Bergen et al (2008). Three of these studies were conducted in the United States, two in Australia, three in the Netherlands, and one each in the United Kingdom and Canada.…”

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confidence: 96%

Accusatorial and information-gathering interrogation methods and their effects on true and false confessions: a meta-analytic review

et al. 2014

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Objectives We completed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available empirical literature assessing the influence of accusatorial and information-gathering methods of interrogation in eliciting true and false confessions. Methods We conducted two separate meta-analyses. The first meta-analysis focused on observational field studies that assessed the association between certain interrogation methods and elicitation of a confession statement. The second meta-analysis focused on experimental, laboratory-based studies in which ground truth was known (i.e., a confession is factually true or false). We located 5 field studies and 12 experimental studies eligible for the meta-analyses. We coded outcomes from both study types and report mean effect sizes with 95 % confidence intervals. A random effects model was used for analysis of effect sizes. Moderator analyses were conducted when appropriate.Results Field studies revealed that both information-gathering and accusatorial approaches were more likely to elicit a confession when compared with direct questioning methods. However, experimental studies revealed that the information-gathering approach preserved, and in some cases increased, the likelihood of true confessions, while simultaneously reducing the likelihood of false confessions. In contrast, the accusatorial approach increased both true and false confessions when compared with a direct questioning method. Conclusions The available data support the effectiveness of an information-gathering style of interviewing suspects. Caution is warranted, however, due to the small number of independent samples available for the analysis of both field and experimental studies. Additional research, including the use of quasi-experimental field studies, appears warranted.

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“…Beyond simulation studies, archival research has demonstrated that defendants who falsely confess, plead not guilty, and go to trial are convicted in approximately 73% (Leo & Ofshe, 1998) to 81% (Drizin & Leo, 2004) of cases. These techniques have inspired controversy in the field, particularly among those who have studied the effects of false-evidence ploys, false claims by police to have evidence of a suspect's guilt, on an innocent suspect's likelihood of false confession (Kassin & Kiechel, 1996;Forrest et al, 2002Forrest et al, , 2006. Could expert witnesses help jurors better understand the interrogation process and thus provide additional safeguards?…”

Section: Interrogations Confessions and The Jurormentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of false‐evidence ploys and expert testimony on jurors' verdicts, recommended sentences, and perceptions of confession evidence

Woody

Forrest

2009

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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During interrogations, police may use false-evidence ploys or fabricated claims to convince suspects to confess. Mock jurors read trial materials containing interrogation transcripts with or without a false-evidence ploy and one of two expert witness conditions (present or absent). We examined jurors' verdicts, recommended sentences, and perceptions of the interrogation. Although factual evidence and the defendant's confession remained constant across conditions, false-evidence ploys led to fewer convictions and shorter sentences. Jurors also perceived interrogations with ploys as more deceptive and coercive. Expert testimony reduced convictions and increased interrogation deception and coercion ratings. Across ploy types, participants rated demeanor ploys as less deceptive and recommended longer sentences for confessors. Outcomes reveal important, previously unrecognized consequences of false-evidence ploys.

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Suspect personality, police interrogations, and false confessions: Maybe it is not just the situation

Cited by 34 publications

References 15 publications

A survey of people's attitudes and beliefs about false confessions

A survey of people's attitudes and beliefs about false confessions

Accusatorial and information-gathering interrogation methods and their effects on true and false confessions: a meta-analytic review

Effects of false‐evidence ploys and expert testimony on jurors' verdicts, recommended sentences, and perceptions of confession evidence

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