Alternative Methods

The principle objective of police questioning - whether interviewing witnesses, victims or suspects - is to gather relevant information about a suspected or reported crime.

There have been recent concerns expressing regards to the guilt-presumptive and confrontational aspects of the REID technique and its association with false confessions; recommendations are that it should be replaced with the PEACE model.

The REID Technique

Initially the REID technique replaced the "third degree" (use of physical force and deprivation of food and sleep during interrogations) in the United States. With the REID technique the interviewer is encouraged to use a 2-stage process. The first step is a Behavioral Analysis Interview which is typically non-accusatory, the interviewer asks general information about the interviewee's background to suspect deception or truth-telling style. If the interviewee is believed to be lying, the interview then progresses to a 9-step accusatory approach otherwise known as an "interrogation".

Vulnerabilities

History of substance abuse and misuse & victimization are commonly associated with false confessions among young adults.

Young age, mental disorders, suggestibility, compliance and manipulative police techniques are commonly thought of to be closely associated with false confessions.

Interviewing in the United Kingdom

Instead of the widely used REID techniques, the Criminal Justice system in London is using the PEACE model.

P - Preparation and Planning
E - Engage and Explain
A - Account
C - Clarification and Closure
E - Evaluation

This interviewing technique has been in continuous use since 1993 and is now being employed in many countries including New Zealand and Norway. The PEACE model is a development of collaborative work between academics, psychologists, police practitioners and lawyers & was intended to take into account vulnerabilities of some interviewees, with ultimate aim to minimize any risk of false confessions.

Avoided in U.K. Interviews/Interrogations:

Leading questions
Heavy pressure
Psychological manipulation

Negative Consequences of REID technique:

.Risk of false confessions

.Harm to police community relations

.Corruption of police interviewers

Unlike American police interviewers, the police interviewers in the U.K. are not allowed to lie to suspects or present them with false evidence in order to obtain a confession, further reducing the likelihood of a false confession. All interviews are electronically recorded as well.

In some instances police interviewers in the United Kingdom may resort to some forms or aspects of the American REID style, usually in only very serious cases to break down resistance.

False Confessions

Most people find it hard to believe that anyone would confess or plead guilty to a serious crime of which they were innocent, but it happens more often then one would think.

More than 240 individuals have been proven innocent through DNA evidence in the United States since 1989. Between 15% and 20% of those particular individuals involved false confessions to very serious crimes such as rape and murder.

Comparison (REID technique v. PEACE model)

Any realistic comparisons between the two differing techniques with regard to eliciting false confessions would need to consider the actual base rate of guilt among those interrogated. The HIGHER the base rate of guilt of those interrogated, the LOWER the risk of false confessions.

Ultimate Goal

The main challenge for the future is to develop transparent and accountable interview techniques that maximize the number of non-coerced true confessions all while minimizing the rate of false confessions.

Shenandoah Aguilar

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