There is a great article over at Slate on Convicting the Innocent. It details an extensive study on what makes people confess to crimes they didn’t actually commit.
This is one of those topics that baffles many people. How could someone actually confess to something they didn’t do? It makes no sense!
Unfortunately, there are a host of reasons why this happens a disturbing amount of the time. Mostly it boils down to:
- Sloppy policework. If police ask leading questions, they can get people to agree to things just to get out of the situation.
- Mental illness or limited understanding of the legal process. If someone doesn’t understand the consequences of their statements, or they are deluded as to what actually happened, they can confess to things that didn’t happen.
It can also often be a combination of the two.
But, yes, these things really happen. And it is incumbent upon police officers and prosecutors to make sure they are really getting the right person for the crime, and not just looking to chalk up an easy win, and close the books on a case.
About David Matson