What safeguards are essential to prevent false confessions when using evidence-led interviewing?

• A. Rely exclusively on the suspect's memory.
• B. Read the suspect's rights only after the confession.
• C. Coercive prompts to speed the confession.
• D. Clear recording of the process, non-leading prompts, corroboration with independent evidence.

Answer: (D)

In evidence-led interviewing, the safeguards focus on keeping the process transparent, fair, and verifiable so memories aren’t distorted by pressure or misleading prompts. The best approach is to clearly record the entire interview, use non-leading prompts that invite the suspect to describe events in their own words, and seek corroboration from independent evidence. Recording creates an objective record that can be reviewed later to check for any coercive language, contamination, or misrepresentation of what was said. Non-leading prompts reduce the chance that the interviewer steers the respondent toward a particular memory or answer, helping the suspect articulate their version accurately. Corroboration with independent evidence provides a separate check on the confession, ensuring what is claimed can be independently verified and isn’t just a result of the interview dynamics.

These elements work together to minimize false confessions: recording holds the process accountable, non-leading prompts preserve the integrity of the suspect’s account, and external corroboration anchors the confession in verifiable facts.