Interrogations-and-Confessions-Handbook

Conclusions 627
Only one study has investigated empirically the differences between true
and false confessions using a within-subject design (Sigurdsson & Gudjonsson,
1996). The findings indicated that when making the false confession suspects
had experienced far more police pressure and less internal pressure to confess
than when making a confession to a crime they had committed. The implication
is that making a false confession is largely associated with police pressure and
the greater the pressure the more likely suspects are to make a false confession,
but this does also depend on the nature of the false confession. The second
finding was that being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of
the alleged offence, or during the police interrogation, makes suspects more
susceptible to believing that they have committed an offence of which they
are innocent. This has important theoretical and practical implications and
requires further research.
Finally, investigative interviewing forms a crucial part of most police investigations.
A well and fairly conducted interview of victims, witnesses and suspects
is in the interests of justice. There is an inherent and inevitable pressure on suspects
to incriminate themselves during custodial interrogation. The pressure
may be due to custodial and interrogative factors, psychological vulnerability or
most typically a combination of factors. There is a fine line between legitimate
and excessive custodial and interrogative pressure. This book has shown the
strengths and potential pitfalls of interrogation and confessions. Many important
lessons have been learned and are documented in this book. Unprecedented
scientific and legal advances have been made in Britain in recent years. This
has been a painful transition, but an invaluable learning process, where many
weaknesses throughout the criminal system have been exposed in public. What
one is left with is a more open, more accountable and fairer system. It is now
time for all judicial systems to review their procedures and practice, learn from
the new developments and have the courage and willingness to implement the
necessary changes.