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The Terrifying Way People Can Be Convinced to Admit to Crimes They Did Not Commit

It is understandable that most people assume if a person confesses to a crime, they are guilty of that crime. After all, why would a person admit to a crime if they did not do the crime? The truth is that human psychology is much more complex – and law enforcement knows it. While their motives are likely good, too often the techniques the police use during interrogation result in innocent people confessing to crimes they did not commit.

An international study has resulted in some shocking results. Keep reading to learn more about how this process happens and then contact a criminal defense attorney if you have been accused of a crime. The best way to avoid being manipulated into saying something that is not true is to never speak to the police without a lawyer present.

The study has some revealing results

The study, which was conducted in Canada and Great Britain, involved 60 college students who had not committed any crimes, along with their caregivers who were in charge of them during their teenage years. In three, 40-minute interviews, researchers worked to implant false memories into the minds of the students. 30 of the 60 students were told that they had committed assault or a theft crime when they were teens.

The terrifying results showed that more than 70% of those students ended up with false memories of the crimes they supposedly committed. Some of those 70% even had elaborate details in their minds of their experiences dealing with the police – experiences that did not occur.

The creation of these false memories

What is even more concerning is how simple the process was of these researchers creating these false memories. They got details from the lives of the students from the caregivers without the students knowing it. During the first of the interviews, the students heard about two incidents that happened during their teenager years. One of them was true and one was false.

When the researchers told the false stories, they used true details from the lives of the students. During the second and then the third interviews, the students were then asked to offer details of the two incidents. The students false memories were very similar to their descriptions of the true events that were described to them.

Some law enforcement officer use similar techniques

Law enforcement often use what is called the “Reid technique.” This involves assuming that the suspect is guilty and working to find a narrative about what happened. The police will create that narrative and may lie about details or offer the suspect incriminating evidence that is not real. It can create false memories the same way the study did.

Once again, this is why it is so important to have an attorney present any time you are talking to police. If you are accused of a crime or have been arrested, reach out to Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free legal consultation.