False Confessions: A Study Space Analysis

Confessions are one of the most powerful types of evidence in the criminal justice system. Despite the vast amounts of psychological research conducted, false confessions still remain a pervasive problem around the world. Thus, an examination of the existing work conducted to date is needed to identify any gaps in knowledge or areas of further enquiry. A study space analysis was conducted to explore the adequacy and concentration of studies on false confessions. Using a combination of a number of key terms such as ‘false confessions’, ‘interrogation’, and ‘vulnerable adults’, a search of five databases was conducted. Overall, 230 studies were included in the final analysis. A total of 25 independent variables and 15 dependent variables were identified. However, the study space analysis revealed gaps concerning gender, vulnerability, and training and instructions regarding confessions. A lack of work exploring false confessions across crime types and severity was also discovered.