Police Investigations and Interrogation Techniques

These vocabulary flashcards focus on key terms and concepts related to police investigations, interrogation techniques, and the psychological aspects of confessions.

Police Investigation

A process where police interview a suspect to obtain a confession.

Reid Technique

A method involving evidence gathering, non-accusatorial interviews, and a nine-step accusatorial interrogation to secure a confession.

False Confession

A confession where an individual admits to a crime they did not commit.

Miranda Rights

Rights of individuals upon arrest, including the right to silence and the right to counsel.

Coercive Tactics

Techniques used to force a suspect into confessing, not acceptable in court.

Interrogation

The process of questioning a suspect in a police investigation.

Mr. Big Technique

An undercover operation where police pose as members of a criminal organization to elicit confessions.

Interrogator Bias

When interrogators presume guilt, impacting the interrogation process.

Geographic Profiling

A technique analyzing crime scene locations to determine the offender's probable residence.

Voluntary Confession

A confession given without police elicitation, motivated by personal reasons.

Coerced-Compliant Confession

A false confession obtained through coercion or the promise of benefits.

Coerced-Internalized Confession

A false confession where the confessor comes to believe they have committed the crime.

Psychological Coercion

Subtle pressure techniques used during an interrogation to induce a confession.

Interview Techniques

Methods used by police to gather information from suspects during an investigation.

Deception Detection

Analysis of behaviors or statements to determine if someone is lying.

Empathy in Interrogation

Using sympathy and understanding as a technique to gain a confession.

Signatures in Crime

Distinctive behaviors or patterns exhibited by an offender during criminal acts.

Mental State Considerations

Taking into account a suspect's mental condition during an interrogation.

Consent in Confessions

The necessity for confessions to be given voluntarily and without coercion.

Kassin Study

Research that demonstrated the accuracy rates of police investigators in distinguishing true from false confessions.

Accuracy and Confidence Correlation

The relationship indicating that higher confidence does not guarantee accuracy in confessing.

Distance Decay Hypothesis

The concept that offenders typically commit crimes closer to home.

Circle Hypothesis

A theory postulating that most crimes occur within a defined geographic area related to the offender's residence.

Potential for False Memories

The ability for suggestive interrogation methods to create false memories in confessions.

Documented Interrogation Techniques

Specific methods and strategies employed by police during suspect interrogations.

Limitations of Interrogation Techniques

Challenges and issues related to the effectiveness and ethics of various interrogation methods.

Characteristics of Organized Offenders

Traits commonly associated with offenders who plan and execute crimes methodically.

Characteristics of Disorganized Offenders

Traits of offenders who commit crimes impulsively and leave more evidence behind.

Factors Influencing False Confessions

Reasons why individuals may confess to crimes they did not commit, such as stress or coercion.

Criminal Profiling Goals

Objectives of profiling to identify and apprehend suspects based on crime analysis.