A recent study con­duct­ed by for­mer U.S. Attorney Thomas Sullivan and released by the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law con­clud­ed that elec­tron­ic record­ing of inter­ro­ga­tions of crim­i­nal sus­pects is a cost-effec­tive method that results in more con­vic­tions and speed­i­er jus­tice. The researchers con­tact­ed 238 law enforce­ment agen­cies in 38 states that record inter­ro­ga­tions in felony crimes and found that ​“vir­tu­al­ly every offi­cer with whom we spoke, hav­ing giv­en cus­to­di­al record­ings a try, was enthu­si­as­ti­cal­ly in favor of the prac­tice.” The report is a fol­low-up to rec­om­men­da­tions made by the Illinois Commission on Capital Punishment, which rec­om­mend­ed the record­ing of inter­ro­ga­tions. The study notes that video­tap­ing inter­ro­ga­tions has prac­ti­cal­ly elim­i­nat­ed dis­putes regard­ing whether a con­fes­sion was vol­un­tary or coerced. In recent years, juris­dic­tions through­out the U.S., includ­ing Maine, Washington, D.C., and Illinois, have imple­ment­ed the prac­tice, despite some resis­tance from law enforce­ment groups. ​“This is a mat­ter of nation­al con­cern … which should be dealt with prompt­ly and com­pre­hen­sive­ly. Recordings ben­e­fit sus­pects, law enforce­ment, pros­e­cu­tors, juries, tri­al and review­ing court judges, and the search for truth in our jus­tice sys­tem,” said Sullivan. ​“So many wrong­ful con­vic­tions wouldn’t have hap­pened. And this will con­vict peo­ple more than it will let peo­ple off.” (Chicago Tribune, June 13, 2004) Read the full Report. See Resources.

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