Author

Andronik N.A., Pachina T.S.

Title of article

Interrogation according to Reid technique in the US criminal proceedings: legality, reasonability, efficiency

Section

Section 10. Comparative studies and foreign experience

Issue, year

2 (32) 2015

Abstract

The Reid technique widely used by the US law enforcement agencies during conducting interrogation by the resistance of interrogated person is considered. The significant defects of this technique including eliminating the aim of the proceedings itself are revealed. The essence and purpose of the technique is confession of guilt by the accused obtained through nine steps: direct confrontation; rejection; superiority; transformation of denials into confirmation; displaying empathy; elaboration of various scenarios; statement of alternative questions; repetition; written fixation. The efficiency of this technique is conditioned by applying psychological manipulations and recognition of sign language, that gives rise to criticism: interrogation causes false confession, especially among minors (therefore the technique is prohibited in some European countries). In 2012 the Reid technique is recognized by the Ontario court’s decision as confrontational, psychologically manipulating and especially dangerous when applying unduly or unfairly. The results of journalistic inquiry on the obtaining false confession of the accused Nga Troung (Massachusetts) when using this technique are provided. It’s summarized that this technique is efficient if the person committed a crime confesses; in the cases of self-incrimination it tends to deception, conviction of innocent person; misidentifying a person liable to be put on trial. So, this method should be applied carefully using only such elements which cannot harm the investigation and make it impossible to elicit the truth in the case.

Keywords

Reid technique, interrogation, confession, accused, resistance, tactical methods.

References

1. John E. Reid and Associates. Available at: http://www.reid.com›r_about.html (Accessed 21 October 2014).

2. Allen B. Ury “Modern police interrogation techniques use subtitle psychological manipulation”. Posted Monday, Jun 8, 2009. Available at: http://news.everest.edu/post/2009/06/modern-police-interrogation-techniques (Accessed 21 October 2014).

3. Gavett Gretchen. December 9, 2011, 11:38 am A Rare Look at the Police Tactics That Can Lead to False Confessions. Available at: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/the-confessions/a-rare-look-at-the-police-tactics-that-can-lead-to-false-confessions (Accessed 21 October 2014).

4. Garrett Brandon L. Convicting the Innocent. Cambridge, Harvard University Press, 2011. 376 р.