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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 2, 2026

An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime

An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime

Published on: May 3, 2016

False confessions.

Saul M Kassin¹

¹Department of Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY, USA.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science

|May 10, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

False confessions occur when innocent individuals confess to crimes they did not commit. Police interrogation tactics and individual vulnerabilities increase this risk, necessitating reforms like recording all interrogations.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Forensic Psychology
Legal Psychology

Background:

DNA exonerations highlight the issue of false confessions.
Understanding the psychological factors contributing to false confessions is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the psychological underpinnings of false confessions.
To identify factors that increase the risk of false confessions.
To review proposed reforms to mitigate false confessions.

Main Methods:

Review of psychological research on interrogation and confession.
Analysis of factors influencing police judgments of deception.
Examination of interrogation techniques and their impact on vulnerable populations.

Main Results:

Police erroneously judge deception, targeting innocent individuals.
Certain interrogation tactics (false evidence, minimization) increase false confession risk.
Vulnerable individuals (mentally impaired, juveniles) are more susceptible to influence.
Confession evidence is highly persuasive in court, even when coerced.
Miranda rights are insufficient; reforms like interrogation recording are proposed.

Conclusions:

False confessions are a significant problem in the justice system.
Reforms, including mandatory recording and investigative interviewing, are needed to protect the innocent.