Die untersuchende Vernehmung als (internationale) Reaktion auf falsche Geständnisse: ein forschungsbasierter und praxiserprobter Vernehmungsansatz

Information gained from interviews with suspects can guide police investigations and criminal proceedings. Reliable statements can lead to accurate resolutions and the prevention of criminal offences. False statements, on the other hand, can lead to police and legal misjudgments and at worst miscarriages of justice that are difficult or impossible to resolve. This article first describes the occurrence and consequences of false confessions in police interrogations, drawing on lessons learnt from other countries. In the United Kingdom such malpractice and miscarriages led to the development and implementation of investigative interviewing – a research-based and practical approach – that has been adopted in other countries. As an example, we outline the implementation of investigative interviewing in the case of Anders Behring Breivik, Norway. Finally, we describe the German literature about police interviewing and its potential for optimization.