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By Matthew B. Johnson
ABSTRACT. The prosecution and recent legal reversals in the New
York “Central Park Jogger” case are discussed with a focus on the preoc-
cupation with crime in US society and concerns regarding racial dis-
crimination in the legal system. It is argued that the inherently coercive
nature of interrogation, and the secrecy that surrounds custodial interro-
gation, create conditions that are ripe for abusive treatment. The phenomenon
of false confession is presented and discussed with regard to
the Central Park Jogger and other cases. The author advocates the re-
cording and preservation of the entire period of custodial questioning so
that there is an objective record of the interrogation methods that lead to
“confession” statements. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth
Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@
haworthpress.com> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2005 by The
Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
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