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Police interviewing and interrogation: A self-report survey of police practices and beliefs
Law & Human Behavior (2007)
  • Saul M Kassin, Williams College
  • Richard A Leo, University of San Francisco
  • Christian A Meissner, University of Texas at El Paso
  • Kimberly D Richman, University of San Francisco
  • Lori H Colwell, Sam Houston State University
  • Amy-May Leach, Queen's University
  • Dana La Fon, Loyola College in Maryland
Abstract
By questionnaire, 631 police investigators reported on their interrogation beliefs and practices—the first such survey ever conducted. Overall, participants estimated that they were 77% accurate at truth and lie detection, that 81% of suspects waive Miranda rights, that the mean length of interrogation is 1.6 hours, and that they elicit self-incriminating statements from 68% of suspects, 4.78% from innocents. Overall, 81% felt that interrogations should be recorded. As for self-reported usage of various interrogation tactics, the most common were to physically isolate suspects, identify contradictions in suspects' accounts, establish rapport, confront suspects with evidence of their guilt, and appeal to self-interests. Results were discussed for their consistency with prior research, policy implications, and methodological shortcomings.
Publication Date
January 1, 2007
Publisher Statement
Author Posting © Springer, 2008. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version will be published in Law & Human Behavior, 2008. doi 10.1007/s10979-006-9073-5 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10979-006-9073-5.
The original publication will be available at www.springerlink.com
Citation Information
Saul M Kassin, Richard A Leo, Christian A Meissner, Kimberly D Richman, et al.. "Police interviewing and interrogation: A self-report survey of police practices and beliefs" Law & Human Behavior (2007)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/christian_meissner/25/