Videotaped interrogations and confessions: does a dual‐camera approach yield unbiased and accurate evaluations?

Abstract

Although an equal-focus camera perspective-suspect and interrogator each displayed in profile-produces relatively unbiased assessments of videotaped interrogations-confessions, many in law enforcement may consider it less than satisfactory because a full-face view of the suspect is precluded and thus potentially important information revealed in his or her expressions may be unavailable for fact finders' consideration. The present research investigated whether a dual-camera approach, wherein the full faces of both the suspect and interrogator are presented in a split-screen format simultaneously, is a viable alternative to an equal-focus format. Experiment 1 in fact demonstrated that the dual-camera approach does produce relatively unbiased assessments of voluntariness and guilt. However, Experiment 2 revealed that the dual-camera approach was one of the poorest presentation formats in terms of its impact on the ability to accurately distinguish between true and false confessions. Policy recommendations based on the present and previous research are presented.