Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice (MACJ)

Department

Criminal Justice, Criminology, & Forensics

First Advisor

Peter Collins

Second Advisor

Brooke Gialopsos

Third Advisor

Michael Bachmann

Abstract

In the United States, the juvenile justice system was created by the acknowledgement that adolescents should not be treated the same as adults. However, police interrogation techniques today are the same for both adults and juveniles. By using the same interrogation techniques for both populations, juveniles are potentially vulnerable during police interrogations. With very little empirical research on the variables that lead a juvenile to falsely confess, it is difficult to implement safeguards to protect juveniles during an interrogation. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the research on juvenile police interrogations by examining each of the three main sources of juvenile interrogation information through a systematic review of the recent empirical research on juvenile interrogation and the relevant U.S. Supreme Court cases as well as through a content analysis of police department interrogation manuals. The goal of this thesis is to highlight the gap between science and practical application as well as provide meaningful results that will inform policy implications moving forward.

Download
COinS