Discussion Board 3
Although logically, it would seem that false confessions would be a rare event, in reality, there have been numerous instances in the past of subjects being sent to prison based on false confessions provided to law enforcement. Unfortunately, research has indicated that some of these false confessions were discovered to have been coerced through police investigative techniques or tactics, mental illness or disease, and even incompetence of the accused. For this discussion, you will respond to the questions listed below.
Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 (Two Pages) words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas:
- What do you think are some of the reasons why a person may choose to falsely confess to a crime that he or she did not commit? Explain.
- What is the investigator’s responsibility upon learning of a possible false confession by a suspect in a case he or she is investigating? Explain.
- What do you think the consequences should be for ignoring knowledge of a false confession? Why?
- How do false confessions relate to Miranda warnings? Explain.
- Should individuals wrongly imprisoned because of false confessions be compensated? Why or why not?
Solution Preview
There are multiple cases where people have falsely confessed to crime even when they were innocent. Such as occurrences can be connected to the condition of the victim doing the confession or other factors in the environment that contribute to this decision. One reason related to false confession can be mental disabilities as these individuals are more likely to listen to the investigators and interrogators involved in the case. Most false confessions are facilitated by fear and the tactics used by interrogators who might convince the victim that there is already evidence linking them to the crime and the punishment will be harsh if they do not confess (Leo, 2009). Others also falsely confess to a crime due to threats from outside forces like the real criminals who might threaten to harm them or their families.
(660 words)