The “Mr. Big” Police Interrogation Technique and False Confessions Among Adolescent Suspects
The “Mr. Big” procedure is a police interrogation technique that was created by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the 1990’s. It is an elaborate and expensive sting operation in which a team of undercover officers take on the persona of a criminal enterprise and attempt to lure a suspect of an ongoing investigation into joining their organization. Officers typically befriend the suspect and gain their trust while involving them in a series of minor crimes, such as being a “look out” or counting money. Suspects are typically paid generously for their work and are often given gifts and meals and in some cases, expensive and gratifying experiences like tickets to concerts or sporting events. Suspects are also frequently reminded of the possibility of being promoted within the organization and the likelihood of substantial financial rewards for doing so.
Once rapport is established between the officers and the suspect, a promotion is granted and the suspect is interviewed by the organizations leader - “Mr. Big.” At this time, suspects are told that they must confess to a serious crime (the one under police investigation) in order to become a full-fledged member of the organization. The suspect is often told that a confession is an important means of establishing trust among the group and that it acts as a form of leverage for the organization that could be use against disloyal members. Suspects are also often told that Mr. Big will use his power, influence and connections to dissolve the charges against the suspect.
During a “Mr. Big” operation, suspects are lead to believe that not confessing will result in losing their position within the organization along with the high paying job. Similarly, they are also lead to believe that a confession will result in the absolution of the charges against them. These factors makes the perceived benefit of confessing to be quite substantial in that there are many benefits to confessing but no foreseeable downside to doing so. As such, many researchers have raised concerns over the “Mr. Big” technique, stating that it may increase the likelihood of false confessions among criminal suspects. By their very nature the operations create situation in which there is a high incentive for suspects to false confession. Not only are suspects offered rewards for a confession but they are also lead individuals to believe that there are no downsides to confessing. With this in mind, it is not unreasonable to see how an individual would be highly motivated to confess even if they had not actually committed the crime.
Adolescents and False Confessions
False confessions to police may be even more prevalent among adolescents and several studies have tested the false confession phenomenon among this potentially vulnerable demographic. For instance, one study found that individuals who were interrogated on more than one occasion were significantly more likely to provide a false confession to police than individuals who were interrogated only once. Similarly, younger individuals, those who were bullied and those who were abused by an adult were the most likely to falsely confess. Other factors that increased rates of false confession among adolescents were increased levels anxiety, depression and anger, as well as lower levels of self-esteem and parental support. The overall conclusion from the research was that adolescents who are emotionally troubled, are particularly vulnerable to making false confessions, especially when they are interrogated on multiple occasions.
Research points out several cognitive differences among adolescents which makes them developmentally less mature than adults. For instance, the prefrontal cortex of the human brain, which is responsible for a wide variety of executive control functions like decision making, strategizing, emotional regulation and impulsivity among others, continues to develop in humans until the age of 25. As such, because of their still developing brain, adolescents tend to have less cognitive control, emotional regulation and decision making ability than their adult counterparts.
Furthermore, because of the way adolescents tend to be socialized, they are often influenced by their peers and persons of authority to a much higher degree than are adults. As such, adolescents tend to be more vulnerable to suggestibility and less equipped to withstand the intense pressures of a common police interrogation which also makes them more susceptible to providing a false confession. Since interrogations are designed and executed by police law enforcement agents and they in turn have the most influence over the interrogation situation, it is important to discuss the practices and perceptions of youth interrogations among police agents.
One study sought to determine police officer’s general understanding of the developmental differences between adult and youth suspects as well as their susceptibility to suggestive questioning. The study compared the officer’s understandings of child and adolescent development to their actual police interrogation practices and found that overall, police tend to have a pretty good understanding of child development. However, they do not generally apply that knowledge to their interrogation practices. Specifically, the police generally understood that children and youth have difficulty comprehending certain legal words and phrases, that they are more susceptible to suggestibility, and that they are less mature with regards to planning, judgement, and decision making. However, the police generally fail to recognize these differences in the context of an interrogation and often used the same interrogation tactics on children and youth as they did on adults. The police often used methods of deceit, verbal trickery and psychological coercion.
Overall, the study raises an important concern regarding police perceptions of youth development and their actual practices. For instance, if police officers are generally aware of the developmental limitations of children and youth but they none the less follow procedures that do not account for them, then young persons are likely to be vulnerable during police interrogations. These vulnerabilities are especially heightened during “Mr. Big” operations which not only involve high levels of deceit and a general lack of safeguards but which also promise suspects rewards that are often well beyond the individuals own means. As such, it is clear to me that the “Mr. Big” interrogation technique is problematic in that it increases the likelihood of false confessions, especially when it is used on adolescent suspects.
Well, I think that in all the police techniques, however successful and costly they are, in all cases they do not succeed. This will depend mainly on the quality of agents that take the case and how complicated the data network is.
I definitely agree that the quality and also the conscientiousness of the officers will impact an interrogation. That is especially true with the "Mr. Big" technique since it is a non-custodial procedure and so many safe guards are not afforded to suspects such as a reading of rights, video taped procedures...etc. In a lot of cases it comes down to hearsay of the officers.
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That's interesting. I did not know that. Thanks for the information.
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