Contextual factors predict self-reported confession decision-making: A field study of suspects’ actual police interrogation experiences.

Abstract

This study examined incarcerated persons' self-reported interrogation experiences and confession decision making by investigating which sociodemographic, criminological, and contextual factors were associated with their decisions to deny the allegations, partially admit wrongdoing, or fully confess to the crime. Hypotheses:We expected that respondents in this field study would report a wide range of interrogation experiences. Given mixed prior findings we did not formulate hypotheses for sociodemographic and criminological factors, but based on contextual variable research, we predicted that suspects who perceived the evidence against them as strong and who had already decided to confess prior to their interrogation would be more likely to confess. Method:Participants were 249 individuals (86% male; M age = 34.8 years; 49% Black, 41% White, 10% other racial identities) incarcerated in local jails in the United States who completed a questionnaire about their most recent interrogation. Respondents described their interrogation experiences (e.g., location, duration, custody), perceptions of police evidence against them, and thoughts about confession prior to the interrogation. We examined group differences according to confession decision and used multinomial logistic regression to examine how sociodemographic, criminological, and contextual factors relate to suspects' self-reported confession decisions. Results:POLICE INTERROGATION AND SUSPECTS' CONFESSION DECISION MAKING 2 Suspects' interrogation experiences varied considerably, as did their perceptions of custody, beliefs about incriminating evidence, and pre-interrogation intent to confess or deny. Sociodemographic characteristics and criminological factors were unrelated to self-reported confession decision making, but several contextual factors predicted confession outcome.Signing away one's Miranda rights and already planning to confess predicted suspects' selfreported confessions, whereas being physically restrained, believing that police had no evidence of one's guilt, and intending in advance to deny the allegations predicted suspects' self-reported denials. Suspects who were undecided about confession prior to interrogation were about as likely to eventually confess as deny. Conclusions:Most suspects followed through with their initial intention to confess or deny, and suspects' perceptions about evidence predicted their self-reported confession. These findings complement existing work focused on interrogation techniques and inform both police interrogation training and practice.

A free account or not? Its effect upon information yield in strategic interviews with suspects

“…The finding that on average little information was provided by suspects in the FA phase, and that more information can be elicited in a subsequent probing phase, is in line with earlier findings of guilty interviewees being hesitant to provide information spontaneously (Hartwig et al., 2005, 2014; Tekin et al., 2015; but see Cleary & Bull, 2021; Kebbell et al., 2006, who found that a proportion of jail/prison inmates indicated that their intent in their forthcoming interview was to admit to the crimes). This supports the idea that strategic interviewing techniques may be effective tools for gathering information from suspects in a subsequent probing phase.…”

When you say nothing at all: Invoking inferences from suspect silence in the police station

“…This aligns with other studies, wherein likelihood of confession was influenced by suspect perception of the strength of the evidence against them, e.g Cleary and Bull (2021)…”

Prisoners' reasons for denial of guilt for their alleged crimes during interrogation and factors related to their denial

“…This result was consistent with the later study of Deslauriers-Varin et al (2011), which also examined individual, criminological and contextual factors associated with suspects' confessions or denials; offenders with multiple prior convictions and use of legal advice were less likely to confess. Cleary and Bull (2021) recently conducted a self-reported questionnaire survey of inmates in the US and examined whether individual factors (age, gender and racial identity), criminological factors (e.g. number of previous arrests, incarcerations and offence type) and contextual factors (e.g.…”

“…Cleary and Bull (2019) emphasised the importance of conducting suspect‐focused research, concluding that ‘since confession or even cooperation is ultimately the suspect's decision, it is essential that researchers examine how suspects perceive the interrogation interaction’ (p. 158). However, few studies have examined suspects' perspectives, and those that did focused on sex offenders in a limited number of countries (Cleary & Bull, 2021). Therefore, the present study sought to examine suspects' perspectives about denials of guilt and the interrogation process by administering a self‐reported survey focusing on the crimes of theft and fraud, which have largely not been considered in studies conducted at the national and international levels, although a few studies have examined fraud suspects (e.g.…”