Duped, Saul Kassin, Ph. D.
Duped, Saul Kassin, Ph. D.
13 Rating(s)
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Duped
Why Innocent People Confess – and Why We Believe Their Confessions

Author: Saul Kassin, Ph. D.

Narrator: Johnny Heller

Unabridged: 12 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 08/30/2022


Synopsis

“As you read this blurb, you know you would never confess to a crime you didn’t commit. Read this compelling study and you’ll change your mind. Dr. Kassin lays bare the dirty tricks used by police to make innocents confess. And he describes, convincingly, what should be done to stop them.”
– John Grisham, #1 New York Times-bestselling author

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.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Peter on August 14, 2022

Duped by Saul Kassin Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - [URL not allowed]-re... I came to this book because of watching the opening installment of "Mind over Murder" on HBO. That documentary tells the crazy story of how five people confessed to being together at a murder t......more

Goodreads review by Cover Lover on July 08, 2022

Duped: Why Innocent People Confess—and Why We Believe Their Confessions is a stunning book. It reveals the phenomenon of interrogations, coercions, and convictions that lead to false confessions. Actual photos are included throughout. I questioned, prior to reading this book, WHY. Why would someone c......more

Goodreads review by Elma on October 23, 2022

I never know how to rate nonfiction books, but it was good! I mean, it made me really angry and disappointed in our penal system, but hey what’s new! This book was an interesting mix of sociology, psychology, criminology, the legal system, all set within vignettes of historical and current cases. Kas......more

Goodreads review by Chase on December 30, 2022

This book is a testament to debunking the common misconception that people often believe about false confessors: "I would never confess to a crime that I did not commit". Throughout the book the author explores many different aspects of confessions broadly, interrogation techniques and history, the e......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on May 13, 2024

Good book. Slightly repetitive.......more