8.1: Overview, Objectives, and Key Terms
Overview
This chapter examines interrogations, self-incriminating statements, and confessions. Interrogations, similar to other criminal investigation practices, are governed by rules and procedures to ensure due process and equal justice. The goal of interrogation is to obtain a statement of guilt from a guilty suspect or to prove the potential suspect's innocence in the crime. This chapter also examines how and why false confessions occur, and how to prevent them. Juvenile suspects are a unique population when conducting interview and interrogations. This chapter also explores how to properly interview juvenile suspects and the unique considerations officers must consider when conducting interrogations.
- Identify the difference between a confession and an incriminating statement.
- Explain the importance of Miranda, and interrogations.
- Identify the differences between questioning, interviewing, and interrogating.
- Explain how officers evaluate the outcome of interrogations.
- Explain the common reasons people may confess to a crime they did not commit.
- Identify the research on juvenile’s developmental and cognitive abilities and how this affect’s the way officers question juveniles.
Key Terms
5th Amendment, interrogation, self-incrimination, confession, interviewing, questioning, interrogation, exoneration, deception, conscience, minimizing involvement, surrender to overwhelming evidence, false confession, confessor enlisted to take the blame, sacrificial confessor, mentally ill false confessor,