Project Advisor(s) (Students Only)

Dr. Sharon Varallo

Presentation Type (All Applicants)

Oral Presentation

Disciplines (All Applicants)

Communication | Psychology | Sociology

Description, Abstract, or Artist's Statement

Wrongful convictions have two main negative effects on society: (1) innocent people are imprisoned, and (2) the real perpetrators are allowed to wander the streets. In order to analyze this issue, this presentation discusses police interrogation tactics (specifically when using the Reid Technique), the association between police interrogation tactics and false confessions, the association between false confessions and wrongful convictions, ways in which wrongful convictions affect communities and their members, and possible ways to mitigate this problem. Although current police interrogation tactics can be useful at eliciting confessions, interrogation methods must be reformed in light of evidence that police-induced false confessions occur and result in wrongful convictions.

Comments

I completed this project as my Honors Capstone project during winter term.

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Wrongful Convictions by Police-Induced False Confessions

Wrongful convictions have two main negative effects on society: (1) innocent people are imprisoned, and (2) the real perpetrators are allowed to wander the streets. In order to analyze this issue, this presentation discusses police interrogation tactics (specifically when using the Reid Technique), the association between police interrogation tactics and false confessions, the association between false confessions and wrongful convictions, ways in which wrongful convictions affect communities and their members, and possible ways to mitigate this problem. Although current police interrogation tactics can be useful at eliciting confessions, interrogation methods must be reformed in light of evidence that police-induced false confessions occur and result in wrongful convictions.