False Confession

By

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks go out to all who have helped me complete this study and with whom this project may have not been possible. In particular, my gratitude goes out to friends, facilitator and family for extensive and helpful comments on early drafts. I am also deeply indebted to the authors who have shared my interest and preceded me. Their works provided me with a host of information to learn from and build upon, also served as examples to emulate.

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DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this thesis/dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this thesis/dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It is also representing my very own views & not essentially which are associated with university.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSii

DECLARATIONiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background1

Rationale1

Theoretical framework2

Significance of the study3

Research questions3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW5

Voluntary false confession5

Involuntary false confession6

Factors contributing to false confession7

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY12

Research design12

Data collection13

Qualitative research13

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION15

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION17

BIBLIOGRAPHY18

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background

False confessions are a challenge to our current legal system. A false confession is defined as "a detailed statement of a criminal act that the confessor did not commit". It is unclear exactly how many confessions false. In addition, reliance on self-reporting of false confessions creates a concern for the accuracy of the reports of prevalence. False confessions occur voluntarily as a result of free will, or may occur involuntarily, often the result of coercion by the police. Evidence of confession is our legal system of "the most powerful weapon". In general, denominations tend to have a greater impact on judicial decisions of witnesses testimony. Three mock jury studies found evidence the confession of a significant more incriminating than the testimony of witnesses and characters. Since it bears the weight of both faiths, its accuracy is critical ensure reliable results during court proceedings.

Rationale

Confessions have been described as "Worried", as it is sometimes difficult to determine if they are authentic and reliable, and if they are the product of a valid exemption. The ability of a person to make such a waiver informed of the rights to remain silent and advice is based on three skills. In the current legal system, the confession of a suspect tends to outweigh DNA or physical evidence presented at trial.

This is evident in the fact that 15 25% of DNA to exonerate innocent defendants had confessed before their trials. This seems to be what occurred in the case of Central Park runner, held in New York in 1989. In this case, five youths (ages 14-16 years) admitted to the brutal rape of a 28 year old woman left her beaten body in Central Park. Each of the five suspects reported different accounts to occur at night, which means one another. DNA was collected in place, but was not linked to any of the suspects.

During two subsequent trials, the adolescents renounced their confessions, claiming that the police invented the video ...