Interrogations-and-Confessions-Handbook

Why do Suspects Confess? Theories 125
Table 5.1. The antecedents and consequences of confessions
Consequences
Antecedents Immediate Long-term
Social
Isolation
Police pressure
Emotional
Police approval, praise Disapproval
Distress
Cognitive
Feelings of relief Feelings of guilt, shame
‘The police know I did it’ ‘It’s good to get it off my ‘What is going to
chest’
happen to me now?’
‘The truth will come out ‘My solicitor will sort it ‘This is very serious’
in the end’
‘Perhaps I did do it, but
I can’t remember it’
Situational
Nature of the arrest
Confinement?
Solicitor present?
Caution understood?
Familiarity with police
procedures?
Physiological
Aroused physical state,
inhibitions reduced by
alcohol or drugs; drug
withdrawal
out’
‘How could I have done
such a dreadful thing’
Charged, allowed access
to a solicitor
‘I’m now certain I had
nothing to do with it’
Judicial proceedings
Arousal reduction Arousal returns to base
level
theory approach to confession. Table 5.1 shows typical antecedents to a confession
and the immediate and long-term consequences.
‘Antecedents’ refers to the kinds of event that occur prior to interrogation.
These are the factors that may trigger or facilitate the forthcoming confession.
A large number of different factors may be relevant, such as fatigue, illness,
deprivation of food and sleep, stress, social isolation, feelings of guilt and bereavement.
The are two major types of consequence, which are referred to in Table 5.1
as ‘immediate’ (or ‘short-term’) and ‘long-term’ consequences. The immediate
or short-term consequences occur within minutes or hours of the suspects
confessing to the alleged crime. The long-term consequences take place within
days, weeks or years of the suspects confessing. The types of consequence,
whether immediate or delayed, depend on the nature and circumstances of
the case and the psychological characteristics of the individual concerned.
Antecedents and consequences are construed in terms of social, emotional,
cognitive, situational, and physiological events. These types of event have
been used to explain other types of behaviour, including delinquent behaviour
(Stumphauzer, 1986).