Article Completely Misrepresents the Reid Technique

Jan 14, 2025

In an article entitled, False Confessions, Technology, and Where We Go From Here, written by Brian Wallace and published on January 13, 2025 online at WebProNews , the author describes a number...

States that require electronic recording of interrogations

Jan 16, 2017

Attorney Thomas Sullivan has done extensive work on promoting the value of electronically recording interrogations and he has extensively surveyed police departments around the country to determine the extent of recording interrogations...

Recording Juvenile Interrogations in Illinois

Jan 16, 2017

Click below for a copy of the legislation that modifies The Juvenile Court Act of 1987, expanding the requirement to electronically record juvenile interrogations in Illinois.

Excellent example of how false confession experts misrepresent what we teach in the Reid Technique

Jan 06, 2017

In State v. Tapke the Court of Appeals of Ohio upheld the defendant's confession which was obtained by an officer who was trained in The Reid Technique. Dr. Richard Ofshe testified about...

January/February 2017 Investigator Tip: Ten

Jan 01, 2017

Physical coercion, torture, duress, denial of rights, threats, and promises of leniency are the poison pills of legally admissible, reliable, and voluntary confessions. Obviously we should not engage in such behaviors or...

Legal Updates Fall 2016

Nov 01, 2016

Confession suppressed - made under the influence of fear produced by threatsThe suspect does not have to know all of the possible issues they will be questioned about to make a knowing...

Dr. Richard Leo Testimony In Jimerson v. State (June 2016)

Oct 26, 2016

In Jimerson v. State (June 2016) Dr. Richard Leo testified about police interrogation techniques and specifically referenced the Reid Technique. The following is a discussion of several statements that Dr. Leo made...

The suggestion that the Reid Technique is prohibited in Great Britain (or any country) is a false statement

Oct 25, 2016

In a recent court case (Radilla-Esquivel v. State) and an article discussing false confessions, there were references that “the Reid Technique is prohibited in some countries.” That is a false statement.

September/October 2016 Investigator Tip: When Co-Offenders Are Being Interrogated Consider ìPlaying One Against the Otherî

Sep 08, 2016

"When two or more persons have collaborated in the commission of a criminal offense and are later apprehended for questioning, there is usually a nagging fear on the part of each participant...

Dr. Richard Leo report describes his view of false confession issues and police interrogation techniques

Aug 31, 2016

In a recent report in an alleged false confession case, Dr. Richard Leo describes his view of current law enforcement interrogation techniques and the various issues associated with false confessions. Dr. Leo’s...

Westlaw recognizes the Reid Technique

Aug 16, 2016

In their annual publication, Law of Confessions 2016, published by Thomson Reuters Westlaw, the authors include the following comments in their discussion of interrogation approaches: “Coercion can be psychological as well as...

The confession of Brendan Dassey (ìMaking a Murdererî) ruled to be involuntary

Aug 15, 2016

In Dassey v. Dittmann (August 2016) the US District Court, E.D. Wisconsin, ruled that Brendan Dassey’s confession was involuntary. Brendan Dassey’s confession to involvement in the murder of Teresa...

Legal Updates Summer 2016

Jul 30, 2016

The Legal Updates Summer 2016 column contains cases which address the following issues:In New York no adverse instruction required if police do not electronically record the interrogationThe value of videotaping: determining the...

Success with Reid - reunited with her fatherís American Memorial Flag

Jul 19, 2016

One of our Investigators, Corporal Steve Purdy (a graduate of your 4-day class in Branson West, MO on Feb 3-6, 2015), recently received international media coverage for a juvenile interview he did...

Military court decisions re interrogation issues

Jul 11, 2016

Jun 01, 2016

In Middleton v. State (Jan 2016) Dr. James Barnard testified for the defense. He prepared two reports, one was a psychological evaluation and the other examined Middleton's competency to waive his Miranda...

The Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) technique

Jun 01, 2016

In the January 2016 issue of Police Chief magazine, there was an article entitled “Using Science to Increase Effectiveness of Sexual Assault Investigations”.

"I Did It" - Confession Contamination and Evaluation

May 24, 2016

Police Chief magazine published a “web-only article” earlier this month entitled, “I Did It” - Confession Contamination and Evaluation. In the article the author, James Trainum, highlights a false confession case and...

Detective erroneously associates sleep deprivation with the Reid Technique

May 19, 2016

In Crafton v. District of Columbia, et. al., Defendants (September 2015) reference is made by the interrogating detective that when questioning the suspect, Kim Crafton, he connected a “lengthy, grueling 17-hour videotaped...

Legal Updates Spring 2016

Apr 30, 2016

Legal Updates Spring 2016 The Legal Updates Spring 2016 column contains cases which address the following issues:Detective erroneously associates “sleep deprivation” with the Reid TechniquePlaintiff claims Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism...

The Legal Updates Winter 2016

Mar 29, 2016

The Legal Updates Winter 2016 column contains cases which address the following issues:California Supreme Court upholds rejection of Dr. Richard Leo testimonyThe value of videotaping the interrogation in disputing intoxication claimConfession voluntariness...