Welcome back and thanks for joining us. We’ve been talking about false confessions and how the cops get you to confess to something you never did. If this sounds preposterous to you, then you’ve obviously missed the first articles in this series, so we recommend you take a couple of minutes and get caught up. Don’t worry, we’ll wait…… All caught up now? Great! Let’s hit the road with a break down of exactly how the cops get some Michigan people to admit to crimes they never committed.
There’s are specific techniques cops use to elicit confessions.
Some of these are called the Reid techniques. If you’ve never heard of it, then you’re in for a mind-blowing read, because this stuff is straight out science fiction. Except for the part where it’s completely true. The Reid Technique of interviewing is a three phase process designed to help a cop get a confession from a suspect. How does it work? Like this:
- Using the Reid technique, an investigator would tell the suspect that the results of the investigation clearly show that he/she committed the crime being investigated. The investigator presents the scenario as a form of story in which they already know the outcome, all they need is the suspect’s agreement. It is not a question and answer format, which is what people are expecting.
- During the conversation, the officer is careful to adopt a certain demeanor. Specifically, they present themselves as understanding, patient, and even respectful. The goal here is to slowly make the suspect more comfortable with telling the ‘truth’, and to get them to feel that they’re just having a dialogue with an equal, not providing a confession to a cop during an interrogation.
- Another aspect of the process involves the investigator offering a variety of justifications for why they would have committed the crime. They present the crime as if it were a perfectly reasonable and understandable course of action. The person being interrogated gains a false sense of security and ends up giving a false confession.
Why is this technique so effective, and yet so dangerous?
This is a two part question. First, as to whether or not the Reid Technique is effective, the answer is yes. It’s effective if you’re looking at it from the standpoint of getting a confession. But if you’re hoping for an accurate confession – one actually based on the truth – it can be really hit or miss. And that’s where the dangerous part comes in. Because false confessions aren’t any good for anyone – cops, courts, victims, defendants or the general public. Which brings us to part two of the question – the danger factor.
There are many reason why a false confession is dangerous. But from your perspective, if you’re sitting across the table from a cop, the only reason that really matters is this: False confessions can lead to wrongful convictions. And unless you’re okay with being behind bars for a crime you didn’t commit, you shouldn’t be okay with that. Which is where we come in.
So if you’re contacted by the police, or accused of a crime SHUT UP, LAWYER UP AND CALL US.
Don’t wait until you’ve made the critical mistake of having a conversation with a cop! Call 866 766 5245 (866 7No Jail) immediately. Our winning criminal defense attorneys have helped clients all across the lower peninsula of Michigan since the last century. We’re available 24/7 to help, and for crisis intervention.
Don’t risk having your rights violated, or your future taken away simply because a cop messes with your head. Be smart right from the start and lawyer up! Also, join us next time for the wrap up on this interesting subject. We’ve got loads of great info for you.