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One hundred alleged false confession cases: some normative data.

G H Gudjonsson¹

¹Institute of Psychiatry, Denmark Hill, London, UK.

The British Journal of Clinical Psychology

|May 1, 1990

Summary

Individuals retracting false confessions display distinct psychological traits. This study identified differences in intelligence, suggestibility, compliance, and acquiescence among alleged false confessors compared to other forensic referrals.

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Area of Science:

Forensic Psychology
Clinical Psychology

Background:

False confessions are a significant concern in the criminal justice system.
Understanding the psychological underpinnings of retracting confessions is crucial for accurate assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and compare the psychological characteristics of individuals who retract self-incriminating admissions.
To provide clinicians with normative data for evaluating individuals claiming false confessions.

Main Methods:

A comparative study involving 100 alleged false confessors and 104 other forensic referrals.
Assessment of four psychological variables: intelligence, suggestibility, compliance, and acquiescence.

Main Results:

Significant differences were observed between the two groups across all four psychological variables.

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Alleged false confessors demonstrated unique psychological profiles compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

Psychological assessment is vital for understanding individuals who retract confessions.
The identified psychological variables can aid clinicians in evaluating the veracity of confession retractions.