Why Criminals Confess (and you should, too) | Police Detective Jeff Wrigley

Why would anyone confess to a crime when they have the right to remain silent?

Former K-9 officer and white-collar detective Jeff Wrigley has spent years in the room where criminals confess—and he's discovered something shocking: most of them feel RELIEF when they finally tell the truth.

In this eye-opening conversation, Jeff reveals why guilt and shame work like a "boa constrictor" that squeezes tighter every day, why the interrogation room and the confessional aren't that different, and what physically happens when someone finally comes clean.

We also dive into Jeff's powerful conversion story (including his first confession in a police cruiser), why shame makes kids hide instead of heal, and the one phrase every parent needs when their kid messes up.

This conversation will change how you think about confession—both the sacrament and the human need to be known and loved anyway.

Highlights:

0:00 - Intro

3:07 - From K-9 Officer to White Collar Detective

8:53 - Why Criminals Think They'll Get Away With It

11:55 - The "Boa Constrictor" Effect of Guilt and Shame

18:03 - The Confession Room vs. The Confessional

22:40 - When Shoulders Soften: What Confession Looks Like

26:29 - How a Detective Found God (Conversion Story)

35:25 - "He Can't Redeem What You Won't Confess"

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Chapters

• (00:00:00) - How to Extract Confessions From Your Teenagers
• (00:00:31) - Chris Stefanik: Real Life Catholic
• (00:02:39) - A Senior Detective's Last Words
• (00:03:04) - The Role of a Dog in Law Enforcement
• (00:06:56) - The Thrill of the Chase
• (00:10:31) - Mission: Mission of Joy
• (00:11:55) - How to Fall Into Big Sin
• (00:12:35) - Detective: The Confession Room
• (00:18:14) - How to Carry a Heavy Weight
• (00:22:29) - In the Elevator With Convicted Criminals
• (00:26:27) - One Cop Converts to Catholicism at 32
• (00:28:54) - Tom Brokaw on Confession
• (00:33:14) - What Would You Say to Someone Who's Been Forced to Confess