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Confessions: Police Interrogation

police interrogation tactics : False confession

Confessions: Police interrogation A confession is probably the most damaging kind of evidence that you can give to the police, and will surely be presented in court in front of a jury. It is almost as bad as blowing into the Breathalyzer when you know you’ve had more than two drinks.  The way in which a confession is obtained is important in determining whether or not it is legitimate, and if it should even be allowed into evidence in court. With the goal of getting a confession, police are tempted to use whatever tricks they have up their sleeves, whether it be through intimidation or manipulation, etc. These tactics taught in police training often times do work in getting true confessions, but along with those comes the price of many more false confessions. A good example of this is the well known case of the “Central Park Jogger” in 1989; five individuals falsely confessed to rape but were later exonerated in 2002 when the real rapist admitted to the crime. They recently received a $40 million settlement from New York City for their improper conviction and time served. What… Read More

Jury Selection | Importance of Experiential Questioning

Jury Selection | Criminal behavior | Law | psychology

Jury Selection It can be argued that the selection of a good jury is more important than any facts of the case. I happen to believe that the facts of the case are equally important to a good jury selection. Many fellow criminal attorneys have claimed that no amount of evidence against their client would matter, as long as their jury selection is perfect;  they believe they will come out on top over the long run, regardless of the circumstances in the case. Although this may very well be true, many lawyers unknowingly lack in their abilities to effectively pick a decent jury. The usual approach to jury selection, voire dire, focuses on asking jurors questions which fall into two categories: affiliative, and attitudinal questions. These questions are thought to show any conscious or unconscious preferences a prospective juror may have towards the prosecution or defense. What are Affiliative and Attitudinal Questions? Affiliative questions are focused on any groups that a prospective juror identifies with. These questions are supposed to provide the attorney with clues as to where the prospective juror stands on various social issues. Alone, affiliative… Read More

Conflict Between Two Disciplines : Psychology and Law

Conflict: Psychology and Law | Criminal behavior

Conflict Between Two Disciplines Psychology And Law Out of the need to resolve disagreements, laws are created and implemented by people. For the most part, laws can be seen as a reflection of the values of the majority in a society. Laws are created, changed, or thrown away because as time passes, the values of a society also change. What is acceptable today may be unacceptable in the future; as values change, so do the laws governing the people. For example, spousal rape, which is when a married man forces his wife to have sex even if she did not want to, was largely ignored by society. Time passed, values changed, and as of today every state in the U.S. has implemented laws protecting women from this behavior. You could probe the minds of an attorney, a law enforcement officer, a psychologist, and a judge, about how they know something is true or valid, and what would be needed to come to that conclusion, and they would all give different answers; neither are necessarily incorrect, but chances are based on their own perspective, they will all give you… Read More

The Context of the Crime | The Psychology of Criminal Behavior

Psychology of the criminal mind

The Context of the Crime Psychology of Criminal Behavior Instead of strictly exploring legal topics like most law blogs, regurgitating much of the same legal jargon and Appeal Court decisions, this site will focus on the criminal justice system from a different perspective. The purpose of this blog will be to explore topics in the area of forensic psychology, the processes of the legal system, specifically the criminal justice system, with the knowledge of the psychological concepts and findings in mind; in other words, the psychology of criminal behavior. This post will focus on why the context matters when dealing with a criminal charge. Knowing the psychology of the criminal mind and the psychological processes that contribute to a criminal offense is just as important, if not more important, than the written laws, or the interpretation of them. Adequately trying a case, whether in the perspective of the state or federal prosecutor, or the criminal defense attorney, requires at least some ability to step into the suspect’s shoes in order to convince the jury and to reach the sought after verdict. Keep in mind throughout this discussion… Read More

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