Explaining Juvenile False Confessions : Adolescent Development and Police Interrogation

This paper looks at the connections between adolescent psychological development, police interrogation and the juvenile false confession phenomenon. It examines the psychological research on adolescent development and the impact this development can have on an adolescent’s decision to waive his or her Miranda rights and on his or her ability to withstand the techniques used by police to obtain confessions. The paper argues that in order to minimize juvenile false confessions, states should 1) ensure adequate comprehension of the Miranda warnings, 2) change the police procedures for interrogating juveniles, and 3) videotape all interrogations