Thesis: Police interrogations can occasionally lead to false confessions due to misclassification, coercion, and contamination.
I. The phrase “Innocent until proven guilty” is a popular statement among law enforcement and government employees, but this statement is not always upheld, as various errors, such as misclassification, are a major cause of false confessions.
A. Misclassification errors are caused by “investigator bias,” where the investigator goes into the interrogation believing the suspect is guilty. (Keene)
B. Whether from evidence or a personal hunch, some interrogators interview suspects as if they are guilty, which causes an incorrect interrogation that leads to extensive stress and pressure.
C. But if the investigator approaches the interrogation believing the detainee is guilty, the ensuing interrogation is more pressure-filled and coercive. This results in the innocent detainee (who is likely to waive their rights) being at increased risk for false confession due to the pressure of the interrogation process. (Keene)
D.
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Consequently, when interrogators go into interviews believing the suspect is guilty, it brings on intense amounts of stress, putting suspects at a higher risk to crack under pressure.
E. This increased pressure brought on by misclassified interrogations cause innocent suspects to feel so much stress they confess to a crime they did not commit.
F. Misclassified errors are just one way suspects feel their only option is to give a false confession in order escape the pressure in the interrogation room.
II. Other psychological tactics, such as coercion, are used in the interrogation room to attempt to get a confession out of someone interrogators believe are guilty.
A. Stressing the incontrovertible evidence that proved the suspect's guilt;
• Providing a reason for their lack of memory (stress, alcohol blackout,