False Confessions
In more than 25% of DNA exoneration cases in the USA, innocent defendants made incriminating statements, delivered outright confessions or pled guilty.This is also the case in Western Australia where in some of the most controversial cases false confessions played a part.
These cases show that confessions are not always prompted by internal knowledge or actual guilt, but are sometimes motivated by external influences.
Why would an innocent person confess?
A number of factors can contribute to a false confession during a police interrogation while some include a combination of several of these causes. They include
- duress
- coercion
- intoxication
- diminished capacity
- mental impairment
- ignorance of the law
- fear of violence
- the actual infliction of harm
- the threat of a harsh sentence
- misunderstanding the situation
Regardless of the age, capacity or circumstances, what they often have in common is a decision (at some point during the interrogation process) that confessing will be more beneficial to them than continuing to maintain their innocence.
From threats to torture
Sometimes law enforcement use harsh interrogation tactics with uncooperative suspects. But some police officers, convinced of a suspect's guilt, occasionally use tactics so persuasive that an innocent person feels compelled to confess. Some suspects have confessed to avoid physical harm or discomfort, others are told they will be convicted with or without a confession or that there sentences will be more lenient if they just confess.
From threats to torture
Sometimes law enforcement use harsh interrogation tactics with uncooperative suspects. But some police officers, convinced of a suspect's guilt, occasionally use tactics so persuasive that an innocent person feels compelled to confess. Some suspects have confessed to avoid physical harm or discomfort, others are told they will be convicted with or without a confession or that there sentences will be more lenient if they just confess.
