Prisoner’s Dilemma: Voluntary False Confessions

Introduction

Voluntary false confessions come from a suspect rather than being forced during questioning. The desire to shield the actual offender is among the most frequent motives for making this kind of false confession (e.g., a family member). False confessions may, however, be given voluntarily for various reasons, including the desire for fame, an inability to distinguish between reality and fiction, or a need to atone for guilt related to actual or imagined misdeeds.

Discussion

Although false confessions can lead to erroneous convictions, it can be challenging to comprehend the prevalence of false confessions and their underlying reasons. For instance, in contrast to expectations, I believe that innocent participants were more likely to admit to lying when an amiable interviewer interrogated them as opposed to a strict one and when the interviewer employed non-coercive approaches.

Coerced-compliant false confessions, as opposed to false confessions made voluntarily, occur due to coercive interrogation techniques. False confessions of this kind may be made to get out of an uncomfortable position, to avoid an explicit or implicit threat, or to receive a reward that has been promised or inferred (Vick et al., 2021). This sort of false confession, characterized by an admission of guilt but a personal consciousness of innocence, is typically reversed when immediate situational pressures are eliminated. In this instance, the perceived immediate benefits of admitting (such as a projected reduction in a penalty or being let to return home) exceed the anticipated long-term costs of confessing (imprisonment).

Conclusion

In conclusion, false confessions given voluntarily are rarely overturned, even though they are generally viewed with skepticism and are less reliable than those made. At the same time, the person confessing was being coerced or threatened by the police. Because of this, it is considered immoral to confess to a crime that one was not responsible for committing.

Reference

Vick, K., Cook, K. J., & Rogers, M. (2021). Lethal leverage: False confessions, pleas, and wrongful homicide convictions in death-eligible cases. Contemporary Justice Review, 24(1), 24-42.