Describe the Reid technique, and explain the three general types of false confessions suggested by Saul Kassin.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. The Reid Technique, used widely by American law enforcement, is premised on the assumption that all interrogation subjects are guilty. Police officers trained in this method reject any denials during the interrogation. They are also taught to minimize the moral seriousness of the crime, and to present the suspect's actions as the lesser of two evils. When the suspect finally does admit to the crime, he or she is to be congratulated and immediately asked for corroborating details.According to Saul Kassin, a professor of psychology at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, there are three general types of false confessions:Voluntary: The suspect is seeking attention or is delusional and thinks he or she did commit the crime.2. Internalized: The suspect is a vulnerable person, suffering from the stress of the interrogation, who comes to believe that he or she committed the crime.3. Compliant: The suspect knows he or she is innocent but decides-under police influence-that it is in his or her best interests to confess to the crime.Kassin believes that the last two categories of false confessions are often "coerced."