When members of law enforcement suspect individuals may have committed crimes, they usually try to gather as much evidence as possible. While different types of evidence weigh differently during trial, prosecutors love to introduce confessions. After all, confessions are some of the more valuable pieces of evidence.
There are too many people sitting behind bars for crimes they did not commit. In fact, according to reporting from NBC, there are likely thousands of innocent individuals currently in prison. Sadly, some of these falsely confessed to crimes.
An unfair advantage
Detectives have an unfair advantage when questioning you. That is, they decide how, when and where to conduct the interrogation. If you are not free to leave, you may have little choice but to interact with officers. Because you have the right not to incriminate yourself, however, it is always wise to say as little as possible or even nothing at all.
Your mental state
After going through hours of interrogation, your mind may begin to play tricks on you. You even may feel physically and emotionally uncomfortable. Officers may use your discomfort to try to obtain a false confession. Remember, it is never a good idea to confess to a crime you did not do simply to end an interrogation.
Your legal options
While it is sometimes possible to exclude false confessions, they come into evidence in a striking number of criminal prosecutions. To preserve all your legal options, you may want to ask for an attorney before officers begin asking you questions.
Ultimately, if you make a false confession, you may have an exceedingly difficult time taking it back.