Research Question: When do police interrogation techniques lead to false confessions/false witness testimony, and how can false confessions be prevented?
Annotation 1
Reference: Orlando, J. (2014). Interrogation techniques. OLR Research Report. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/2014-R-0071.htm
Annotation
The Office of Legislative Research (OLR) is a branch of the Connecticut state government, specifically the State Capitol and General Assembly. This is an OLR Research Report, published on the .gov site. Therefore, authority and credibility have been established using the CRAP test. The site is also from 2014, making it current. The report offers an overview of the most commonly used police interrogation techniques: the Reid method. This method has been accused of leading the interrogation subject into a false confession. The author discusses the research findings related to the limitations of the Reid method, and offers several alternative methods including the Preparation and Planning, Engage and Explain, Account, Closure and Evaluate (PEACE) method most commonly used in the UK, and kinesic interviewing. A brief review of literature is offered for each of these types, too. This OLR research will be helpful in my research because it provides detailed information about different interrogation techniques.
Annotation2
Reference: Gavett, G. (2011). A rare look at the police tactics that...
PBS Frontline. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/a-rare-look-at-the-police-tactics-that-can-lead-to-false-confessions/
Annotation
Although not associated with a university, PBS is nevertheless a highly credible news media outlet. This is an authored article using an investigative journalism technique. In this article, Gavett (2011) describes specific incidents of police interrogation that lead to false confessions. The author offers links to video footage, which are instructive. Multimedia and case studies will help me to understand exactly what police interrogation tactics are like, and how the subjects react to those tactics. Like the OLR report by Orlando (2014), the Gavett (2011) article discusses the Reid technique, which is used in the case study presented here. The case study involves Nga Truong, a 16 year-old. As much of the research on the Reid technique and other interrogation tactics used by police focuses on the special harms done to young people, this source will remain important for my research. The main problem shown with the Reid technique is “the threats and the promises that are not legal,” (Gavett, 2011, p. 1). The author also refers to books and other articles on the subject.
Annotation 3
Reference: Starr, D. (2013). The interview. The New Yorker. Dec 9, 2013. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/09/the-interview-7…
