False Allegations

Question 1

What is repressed memory?

Answer 1

Memories that have been unconsciously blocked for a period of time due to trauma

• not universally accepted
• controversy relates to how they are retrieved (through therapy & hypnosis when clients are vulnerable to suggestion)
• even when recovered questions of accuracy remain - may be ‘false memories’

Question 2

Holly Ramona case study

Answer 2

During therapy for bulimia she experienced ‘flashbacks’ of sexual abuse and bestiality
Took truth serum recalled more detail
Sued her father
Father sued psychiatrist (awarded $500,000)

Question 3

Loftus research - lost in the mall

Answer 3

Loftus used siblings to create a false memory (being lost in a mall)

Memory is traumatic and over time subject built and developed memory surrounding incident

Details remembered 2 weeks after study

Memory is suggestive, subjective, malleable

Question 4

False memory research figures

Answer 4

Studies suggest false memories can be implanted in between 20% and 40% of participants

Question 5

Paul Ingram case study - false memories of abuse (confessed to range of crimes)

Answer 5

Paul Ingram arrested for child abuse, developed false memories
Confessed to range of offences
Memories created by:
- techniques common in therapy sessions
- clients ambiguous memories
- Encouraging him to think about event

Question 6

False memories in children - Mr Science (Poole & Lindsay)

Answer 6

Children given false info about Mr Science visit

2 in 5 recalled false events as if real

Children aged 8 - free recall = stable results; leading questions increased rate of false reports; drop in false claims when older children challenged but not younger children

Question 7

What is Suggestibility?

Answer 7

The extent to which all aspects of a persons memory for events are influenced by a variety of social and psychological factors

Question 8

Active and Passive Suggestion

Answer 8

Active suggestions - something is actively suggested to a person

Passive suggestion - when the person is under a state of suggestion

E.g. Sniper attack study is an example of passive suggestion - memories created by others who experienced the trauma (kids with lower exposure reported increased threat and vice versa)

Question 9

Strategies to improve the accuracy of allegations

Answer 9

Indicators approach - evidence that distinguishes true and false reports (look for corroborating factors)

Standards approach - best practice/rules of conducting investigations and assessments to avoid contamination of reports (looks at use of leading questions, who was asking, videos of interview

Children must know the interviewer wants them to recall only events they personally experienced

Children must know the source of their knowledge

Question 10

False allegations - Clyde Ray Spencer

Answer 10

Main areas -
professional reports of child sexual and physical assault
False allegations of sexual abuse against a conflicting parent
False memory syndrome

Common on SA because: limited evidence, young children involved, professionals sensitive to dangers of abuse

Question 11

False confession techniques:
Maximisation & Minimisation

Confession is a rational decision making process

Answer 11

Maximisation: scare tactics to intimidate suspect, officers overstate seriousness of crime and charges, false or exaggerated claims about evidence

Minimisation: soft-sell techniques designed to encourage security, sympathy, tolerance, face-saving excuses, moral justification (victim blaming), minimise charges and seriousness of crime

Question 12

Michael Crowe case study

14yrs accused of murdering his sister

Answer 12

Accusatory style of questioning
10-hr interrogation
Threatened with adult jail 
Highly coercive 
Sustained attack on his memory 
‘Good’ Michael vs ‘Bad’ Michael
Psychological abuse

Question 13

Psychology of false confessions

Answer 13

D-m process where people optimise any situation for themselves in light of alternatives or the evidence against them

Btw 40-76% of interrogations lead to confession

Interrogative tactics - purpose is to obtain a confession or useful info to assist a conviction

Question 14

Interrogation tactics to induce false confessions

Answer 14

Stress-compliant: stressful, endless questioning; confess to escape situation

Coerced-compliant: threats or promises coerce suspect into confessing

Persuaded: becomes convinced that they did probably commit the offence

Question 15

Three types of false confessions:

1. Voluntary
2. Coerced-compliant
3. Coerced-internalised

Answer 15

Voluntary - self-incriminating without pressure (fames, attention, self-punishment)

Coerced-compliant - due to social pressure but does not really believe that they committed the crime (quick recant after)

Coerced-internalised - innocent suspect comes to believe that they did commit the crime (false guilt eg Michael Crowe)

Question 16

Reasons innocent people confess

Answer 16

Duress
Coercion
Intoxication
Diminished capacity 
Mental impairment
Ignorance of law 
Fear of violence 
Actual harm
Threat of harsher sentence (eg death)
Misunderstanding