Mediëren verhoortechnieken de verandering in verklaringsbereidheid van verdachten?

This study aims to provide more knowledge on the extent to which criminal investigators are able to influence suspects’ statement. For this purpose, 166 observed interrogations covering the whole interrogation were analyzed. Based on these longitudinal data Structural Equation Modeling was used to examine the extent to which interrogation tactics mediate the changing statement between the start and the end of the interrogation. The results show that particularly suspects who give a statement on personal affairs at the beginning of the interrogation change their statement. Manipulating techniques are used more often when suspects are silent and confrontational techniques are used more often when suspects declare about the crime. Only confrontational techniques seem to contribute to changes in suspects’ statement. Accusatory interrogation tactics do not mediate the relationship between the statement given at the beginning of the interrogation and the change in statement. It can be concluded that suspects who are silent at the beginning of the interrogation or who declare about the crime in most cases don’t change their statement and that with using accusatory interrogation techniques criminal investigators seem to be unable to influence their statement.