Well,
thats the point. Innocent people are being coerced into confessions for crimes that they didn't do. And that it is a rampant practice in unmonitored interrogation rooms to deprive people, and convince them that it is in their best interest to just confess.
It takes time and work to investigate. Why not just squeeze someone until they would confess to killing Christ if for no other reason than to get out of that interrogation room.
In theory, if these people were well enough informed, and werent tricked into signing away their freedom (i.e. "Here is a release form, sign it and you can go", when in fact the form they sign waives their right to an attorney), that they would know that until formally charged, they can walk out of an interrogation room at anytime. Unless of course, the officers handcuff you to the chair, and demand a confession or they wont let you go (as they did in one of the stories).
It happens in the US. Don't ever believe that it doesn't. And the stories I linked to are from only 1 police department out of the thousands across the nation.
It is also a reflection of how naive some people can be regarding capital punishment. If we could be sure that capital punishment were administered fairly, and that everyone charged were guilty, then it could be accepted. But I hope to point out that you just can't take our legal system at its word. Too many places to abuse it. The above people were charged with capital offenses, and they confessed under duress to them. We have to face that fact that, though these folks were lucky enough to be cleared, there most definitely are other people who are innocent but who havent been as lucky.
When police seek to close cases quickly, rather than see justice served, transgressions will happen. The end does not justify the means. This could happen to anyone, even you. Be at the wrong place at the wrong time, or not have an alibi, and you could find yourself in jail trying to figure out up from down, as your life would have just been turned upside down.
And let's say you are lucky to be acquitted after some time, like 1, 3 or even 8 years. How do you get your life back? How do you go to a shopping mall without people staring at you, still believing that you are a criminal. I hate to say it, but many people still associate Richard Jewell with the Centennial Park bombing, and he still suffers discrmination. Look what the FBI did in trying to prosecute him. They ruined his name, lied to him and told him he failed a polygraph test, when he didn't, and pursued him so vigorously that they let the real trail of the bomber grow cold, even when they realized that he wasn't their man. They were more interested in closing the case quickly in the face of international scrutiny, rather than seeing justice served, and society protected from a mad-bomber.
I've been on this earth 58 years, and I can tell you I look upon every badge wearer with quiet reservation. You never know what that persons motivations are. Caution is always advised.
But learn your rights for God's Sake. That's the first step in protecting them.
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