Chemically Assisted Interrogations and Reid Interrogation

1499 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How wrongful convictions have affected the criminal justice system

The Reid Technique is not the only interrogation technique that has been utilized when attempting to retrieve the truth from an uncooperative and/or unwilling suspect. Among the many other options that have been utilized are: polygraph, hypnosis, voice/physical/mental stress, torture and chemicals. In particular let’s focus on the use of “Chemicals” in the assistance of obtaining a confession about a crime in comparison to the use of the Reid Technique.

First, let’s examine the background for the use of chemicals. Because of its use for obtaining confessions from suspects and the general idea that suspects (or anyone else) are not capable of lying while under its’ influence it has been referred to as “truth serum.” Over time the chemical(s) has changed. The first truth serum to be identified and classified as such was a pharmacological agent used as an anesthetic named scopolamine. Robert House, an obstetrician in Texas, was using this chemical for his pregnant patients in 1916. He noticed that some of his patients who received the anesthetic scopolamine during delivery fell into a half-sleep in which they could sometimes answer questions without remembering having done so afterward (REFERENCE EL-HAI).

Scopolamine works by depressing the central nervous system and diminishing inhibitions, thus, allowing for them to be less guarded and use less discretion and caution allowing them to “spill the beans.” Albeit, Dr. House had the idea that this chemical could be used to help with verifying a suspect’s claim of innocence, contrary to today’s idea of getting a confession. He so strongly believed in this theory that he traveled to various jails and demonstrated the process of using chemicals to validate claimed innocence. In 192...

... middle of paper ...

...ly does it not inflict any harm upon suspects, which could lead to false confessions, but this technique seeks the truth, not necessarily confessions. Important as well, is the Supreme Court has stood behind the Reid Technique, and I also find it impressive that Reid and Associates work with the Innocence Project to help guard against false imprisonments and false confessions. The Reid Technique is the obvious best choice to make.

Works Cited

Browne, Matt http://www.fluther.com/126070/use-of-truth-serums-to-save-lives-pros-and-cons/

Sheedy Charles E. C.S.C. http://www.ts.mu.edu/readers/content/pdf/20/20.3/20.3.2.pdf

Lee, Martin A.http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0604-06.htm

El-Hai, Jack http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2012/09/was-there-any-truth-in-truth-serum.html

Adams, Cecil http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2911/do-truth-serums-work

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of The Interview And The Central Park Five

    724 Words  | 2 Pages

    In “The Interview” by Douglas Starr, He talks about the different techniques they use when interrogating suspects to determine whether the suspect is lying. One technique they use is called the Reid Technique and that is when

    Read More

  • False Confessions and the Norfolk Four Case

    2738 Words  | 6 Pages

    In order to incriminate Danial Williams, Joseph Dick, Eric Wilson, and Derek Tice with the rape and murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko, Detectives Maureen Evans and Robert Ford conducted long, grueling interrogation sessions using many provocative and manipulative tactics. Throughout this process, Ford and Evans coerced the suspects into renegotiating their perception of the crime until an entirely new reality was created. This new reality evolved as the police elicited additional confessionary evidence to account for each new piece of physical evidence from the crime scene. Eventually, in an iterative process that had police editing their theories of the crime and then forcing the suspects to claim this new reality as their own, the reconciled reality of the crime became one that was consistent with both the criminal evidence and the suspects’ new perception. An analysis of empirical m...

    Read More

  • False Confessions to a Crime: The Central Park Jogger

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Central Park Jogger case is one of false confessions to a crime, with a little help from police, which the defendants did not commit. Evidence taken at the crime scene did exclude the defendants, however, because of videotaped confessions they were sentenced to prison for a crime they admitted to committing even though they did not. It was not until many years later did the original perpetrator step forward from prison to admit he was the one who committed the crime with evidence (DNA) and firsthand knowledge of the scene. The five original defendants were released from prison but until serving a lengthy term. There are cues that can be noticed when investigators are conducting preliminary interviews that have a very high rate of success in determining the guilt or innocence of an individual. Some of these cues may be verbal such as a rehearsed response (Kassin, 2005). Other types of cues may be nonverbal body language such as a slouching (Kassin, 2005).

    Read More

  • The Reid Technique, Benfair, By Adam Benforado

    1823 Words  | 4 Pages

    Our interrogation tactics have come a long way from using physical force to retrieve incriminating evidence, which was referred to as the “third degree”, to non-violent methods of obtaining information. We’d like to think that the system we have instilled in America is perfect and fair, but that is far from the reality. Although we have eliminated physical force from interrogations, the new equivalent implemented to the third degree is psychological torture. The nation-wide system used to interrogate potential suspects- the Reid Technique- is heavily flawed and corrupt. In his book Unfair, author Adam Benforado, unveils the truth behind modern interrogation style: it coerces suspects into producing false confessions by subjecting them to grueling

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Molly Treadway Johnson's Memory Phenomena In The Law

    1006 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Laurence Armand French Ph.D. and Thomas J. Young Ph.D.’s article The False Memory Syndrome: Clinical/Legal Issues for the Prosecution talks about memory recall being an unreliable form of evidence in the Criminal Justice System. French and Young state that hypnosis and lie detector tests are a misconception because “the cognitive interpretations of the emotional/autonomic aspects of the central nervous (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems are not true indicators of reality,” (p. 38).

    Read More

  • The PEACE and Cognitive Interviewing Models vs. the Reid Technique

    1740 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...igations today has a huge impact on false confessions. The Reid Technique is being criticized in the media because of its guilt-presumptive, aggressive, and psychologically manipulative nature. It is based on a series of assumptions that lack scientific support, and by using it they are creating hostile and coercive environment for the interrogation. The fact that they try to pass these confessions off as voluntary should also be an issue against using them since we know they are usually coerced. There are two alternatives to the Reid technique being used to interview suspects. These do not use coercion and manipulation to get confessions. The first is the PEACE Model, which is an interview technique that is more ethical, and the other technique is Cognitive interviewing which is used by police as a memory technique used to enhance the retrieval of their memory.

    Read More

  • Polygraph Essay

    2006 Words  | 5 Pages

    The polygraph is a very controversial topic when comes to the introduction of the techniques into court. The polygraph technique has not changed since first developed in 1895. What the polygraph does is measures the blood pressure fluctuation, pulse rate and respiratory rate changes. The rate of the blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate not only changes due to the body being stressed because the person is lying, but it also changes due to anxiety, anger and medical conditions. This will affect the accuracy on the technique and give inconsistent readings within the results (Gailus, C., 2008, November

    Read More

  • Picking Cotton Case Study

    1036 Words  | 3 Pages

    Because police investigators are usually under pressure to arrest criminals and safeguard the community, they often make mistakes. Sometimes, detectives become convinced of a suspect 's guilt because of their criminal history or weak speculations. Once they are convinced, they are less likely to consider alternative possibilities. They overlook some important exculpatory evidence, make weak speculations and look only for links that connect a suspect to a crime, especially if the suspect has a previous criminal record. Picking Cotton provides an understanding of some common errors of the police investigation process. During Ronald Cottons interrogation, the detectives did not bother to record the conversation “But I noticed he wasn 't recording the conversation, so I felt that he could be writing anything down”(79) unlike they did for Jennifer. They had already labelled Ronald Cotton as the perpetrator and they told him during the interrogation “Cotton, Jennifer Thompson already identified you. We know it was you”(82). Jenifer Thompson 's testimony along with Ronald Cotton 's past criminal records gave the detectives more reason to believe Ronald committed the crime. Ronald Cotton stated “ This cop Sully, though, he had already decided I was guilty.”(84). Many investigative process have shortcomings and are breached because the officials in charge make

    Read More

  • The Use of Polygraph Testing in Law Enforcement for Investigative and Hiring Tools

    1371 Words  | 3 Pages

    A lie is a false statement with the purposely intentions to deceive, a falsehood or falsification. Since the beginning of time when Adam and Eve were created by god, and Adams fibbed about eating the apple, lying and deception has been the consistent future of human behavior or sin. The history of the polygraph has a similar long history with the reliable means of detecting deception. Researchers believed that this type of work must be viewed with care and cautiously being that the ones who tell the lies know that they are undergoing research and likewise know they do not comparatively behave as they would in real-life settings. There has been numerous of studies that attempt to identify specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors associated with lying. The polygraph does not detect a lie; it detects respiration and cardiovascular activity. The assumption is that liars will become more nervous that one who tells the truth. In the attempt to deceit the test through unconscious actions, many different behaviors have been associated with liars deception, including gazing aversion, the increase or decrease in movement, the amount of pauses or hesitations, slow of the speech rate, and speech errors.

    Read More

  • Repressed Memories

    3889 Words  | 8 Pages

    Further biological research on the effect of psychological trauma on the neurochemistry of memory may help clinicians distinguish between true repressed memories and false memories in clients who report abuse. However, to date there is no method to determine the accuracy of these memories. Therefore clinicians and the courts must rely on corroborative evidence, and behavioral and physiologic clues to distinguish veracity.

    Read More

  • History of Mental Illness

    1507 Words  | 4 Pages

    Schmied, L. A., Steinberg, H., & Sykes, E. A. B. (2006). Psychopharmacology's debt to experimental psychology. History of Psychology, 9, 144-157.

    Read More

  • Forensic Psychology Essay

    1894 Words  | 4 Pages

    Beginning in the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s forensic psychology originated when a man named James McKeen Cattell conducted a study at Columbia University. During his time learning and coming up with the idea that psychology could be used as a way to solve court cases he did many experiments with his students. In one study he allowed 56 of his students practice eye witness testimonies with a series of questions. He conducted the experiment by asking the students about trees and asked the students to rate their confidence in what they saw and recall what they saw hours later. During this experiment Cattell...

    Read More

  • Forensic Psychology Literature Review

    1703 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...vitz, M. (2009). Forensic psychology: Emerging topics and expanding roles. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 52(1), 71-71-72.

    Read More

  • Lie Detectors aka Polygraphs

    1653 Words  | 4 Pages

    A polygraph is an instrument that simultaneously records changes in physiological processes such as heartbeat, blood pressure, respiration and electrical resistance (galvanic skin response or GSR). The polygraph is used as a lie detector by police departments, the FBI, the CIA, federal and state governments, and numerous private agencies. The underlying theory of the polygraph is that when people lie they also get measurably nervous about lying. The heartbeat increases, blood pressure goes up, breathing rhythms change, perspiration increases, etc. A baseline for these physiological characteristics is established by asking the subject questions whose answers the investigator knows. Deviation from the baseline for truthfulness is taken as sign of lying.

    Read More

  • Essay On Narco-Analysis

    1602 Words  | 4 Pages

    The history of narco-analytic interrogation dates back to the early centuries when doctors used induced to induce a sleep- like feeling for different operations. These drugs were then strictly used for medical reasons but with time and evolution came different usages of this drugs. Later on in the year 1922 for the first time in history these drugs were used for police investigation. Robert House, a Texas based obstetrician did an experiment with two prisoners where interviewed two scopolamine-induced prisoners, whose guilt seemed clearly confirmed. With this came the historic case of aurora massacre where for the first time the judge ruled that to prove the wrong-doer’s insanity a medically appropriate drug would be used. This may be the first time that a court has mandated use of so-called "truth serum" in a sanity evaluation after this there were many cases where the truth serum has b...

    Read More

More about Chemically Assisted Interrogations and Reid Interrogation

Open Document