Police Interrogation and American Justice

by Richard A. Leo

"Read him his rights." We all recognize this line from cop dramas. But what happens afterward? In this book, Richard Leo sheds light on a little-known corner of our criminal justice system--the police interrogation. Incriminating statements are necessary to solve crimes, but suspects almost never have reason to provide them. Therefore, as Leo shows, crime units have developed sophisticated interrogation methods that rely on persuasion, manipulation, and deception to move a subject from denial to admission, serving to shore up the case against him. Ostensibly aimed at uncovering truth, the structure of interrogation requires that officers act as an arm of the prosecution. Skillful and fair interrogation allows authorities to capture criminals and deter future crime. But Leo draws on extensive research to argue that confessions are inherently suspect and that coercive interrogation has led to false confession and wrongful conviction. He looks at police evidence in the court, the nature and disappearance of the brutal "third degree," the reforms of the mid-twentieth century, and how police can persuade suspects to waive their Miranda rights. An important study of the criminal justice system, Police Interrogation and American Justice raises unsettling questions. How should police be permitted to interrogate when society needs both crime control and due process? How can order be maintained yet justice served?

Genres: Law, History, Nonfiction

384 pages

First published November 6, 9

Reviews

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Police Interrogation and American Justice is partially a history of American police interrogation, but mainly goes over the various tactics they use to try to get people to tell on themselves. This would be of interest to people with an interest in how police operate, or people interested in the psychological tactics they use during interrogation. The whole purpose of the interrogation is for them to to somehow persuade you that its in your best interest to confess to a crime no matter how reversed the reality of the situation is. I also found it funny how they use the polygraph even though it is completely useless in showing a persons guilt or innocence. However after a suspect has taken the lie detector they ALWAYS say that it shows you are lying regardless of the actual results. People just don't get it that no matter what the circumstances it is NEVER in your best interests to say ANYTHING to police if you are the target of a criminal investigation. Remember these five words, "I have nothing to say" and leave it at that no matter what they come at you with. They tell you themselves everything you say can and will be used against you so what more do you need to know.

[Heidi Boghosian · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A gripping indictment of what goes on behind the closed doors of police interrogation rooms. From psychological manipulation, to threats of harm and promises of leniency, to lengthy incommunicado questioning, all the way to outright brutality… Leo’s book is a powerful contribution to criminal justice public policy… Police Interrogation and American Justice causes one to marvel at the extent to which the parties in the justice system have been complicit in enabling lawless police to effect convictions of suspects by coercing their confessions. Leo offers suggestions for reform, which are fair and reasonable in a country that has the highest incarceration rate in the world.”—Heidi Boghosian, The Federal Lawyer
(I wrote this ten years ago, and this book is still one of my favorites!)

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leo repeats most of the things he talks about in the book. This book is almost 400 pages but he could have written it in 150 pages if he didn't repeat himself so much.

[Oneillmarkr · Rating 4 out of 5]

author changed our perspective on reality of false confession