Duped

Why Innocent People Confess–and Why We Believe Their Confessions

By: Saul Kassin PhD

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

Length: 12 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Written by the world's leading expert on false confessions, this landmark book reveals the psychology behind why innocent men, women, and children, intensely stressed and befuddled by the promises, threats, trickery, and deception of a police interrogation, are duped into confession, no matter how horrific the crime. Featuring riveting case studies, highly original research, work done in tandem with the Innocence Project, and quotes from individuals who confessed to crimes they did not commit, Duped tells the story of how this happens, how the system turns a blind eye, and how to make it stop.

Why do people confess to crimes they did not commit? And, surely, those cases must be rare? In fact, it happens all the time—in police stations, workplaces, public schools, and the military. Psychologist Saul Kassin, the world’s leading expert on false confessions, explains how interrogators trick innocent people into confessing, and then how the criminal justice system deludes us into believing these confessions. Duped reveals how innocent men, women, and children, intensely stressed and befuddled by lawful weapons of psychological interrogation, are induced into confession, no matter how horrific the crime. By featuring riveting case studies, highly original research, work by the Innocence Project, and quotes from real-life exonerees, Kassin tells the story of how false confessions happen, and how they corrupt forensics, witnesses, and other evidence, force guilty pleas, and follow defendants for their entire lives—even after they are exonerated by DNA. Starting in the 1980’s, Dr. Kassin pioneered the scientific study of interrogations and confessions. Since then, he has been on the forefront of research and advocacy for those wrongfully convicted by police-induced false confessions. Examining famous cases like the Central Park jogger case and Amanda Knox case, as well as stories of ordinary innocent people trapped into confession, Dr. Kassin exposes just how widespread this problem is. Concluding with actionable solutions and proposals for legislative reform, Duped shows why the stigma of confession persists and how we can reform the criminal justice system to make it stop.

©2022 Saul Kassin, Ph. D. (P)2022 Spotify Audiobooks

A must read.

We don't know what we don't know. If you are ever selected for jury duty, you need to know this material.

Very Repetitive

Great information but could be half as long. States same thing repeatedly. Also a bit more bias than you’d like to see with research. Replaces data which exists with statements like “and soo many more,” or “countless” to bolster his findings without a need to do so. The research speaks for itself. Let it do that.

You need to know this…

If you will ever be on a jury, if you or anyone you know are ever questioned by police, or when you are called upon to vote for policies and officials who influence the judicial system, you need the knowledge contained in this book.

In other words—you… you need to know this.

Such an important message

Everybody should be aware of how false confessions work. The book was really good, but there was a lot of repeating, which I think is an editing issue. That’s unfortunate because it could deter people from wanting to read it. They really do need to hear the message.

repetitive

makes the same point over and over again. could have been half the length. good content, just stretched to be "book length"

Amazing insights that every citizen should read!

As a sociologist who studies collective behavior through a symbolic interactionist lens, and whose research surrounds aspects of the criminal legal system, I found this book invaluable. Dr. Kassin presents his life’s work in highly approachable and easily understood fashion, much as I hope to do with my own scholarship. The myths surrounding human behavior are vast, with the most significant arguably being about commonalities. Kassin carefully deconstructs the idea of “normal” or standard types of behavior, walking the reader (or in my case, listener) methodically through the scientific evidence that seemingly supports such narratives to reveal how high pressure circumstances can and do cause all of us to behave in ways we would not in less stressful situations. Highly recommended for anyone who would like to know more about human behavior, particularly those interested in lifting the veil of obscurity from the all-too-common occurrence of false confessions.

Everyone should read this

I was shocked at how prevalent false confessions are. It felt like steam was coming off my head as I listened to this. Everyone should check out this book if they care at all about innocent people getting shafted. There is also a large and effective dose of “it can happen to you,” in here which I would NOT have deemed plausible till I had listened. As some reviewers noted there is some repetition of the cases in the book when they are brought up in different chapters to highlight different points. I take this as the author (who is a scientist) wanting to make the chapters self sufficient.