What Do Suspects Understand about their Rights during Police Interrogations? Comparing Juvenile and Adult Offenders' Comprehension of the Rights to Silence and Legal Counsel

Project: 28
Name: Naomi Goldstein (neg23@drexel.edu; 215-571-4299)
Department: Psychology
Academic Area: Psychology

Title: What Do Suspects Understand about their Rights during Police Interrogations? Comparing Juvenile and Adult Offenders' Comprehension of the Rights to Silence and Legal Counsel

Description:
A student working with Dr. Naomi Goldstein will have the opportunity to be involved in a number of ongoing research studies in the overlapping fields of forensic psychology and child/adolescent psychology. Primarily, the student will work on an ongoing study comparing juvenile and adults offenders' comprehension of Miranda rights. The goals of this project are: 1) to revise an assessment tool that is used in forensic evaluations of defendants' capacities to have waived Miranda rights during police interrogations and to have offered confessions that can be used as evidence in court; 2) to inform courts about risk factors for invalid Miranda waivers and false confessions; and 3) to inform public policy changes to protect the rights of youth suspects during police interrogations. / / The student will conduct psycho-legal testing with male and female offenders in Philadelphia's prisons using assessment tools that are commonly used in forensic evaluations. Under close supervision, the student will administer standardized tests to assess IQ, academic achievement, mental health symptoms, suggestibility to police pressure, and comprehension of Miranda rights. The student will also score assessments, enter data for the study, and assist with presentation of study findings. / / In addition, the student will attend weekly lab meetings in which s/he will have opportunities to learn about and work on other research studies in different areas of forensic psychology. Ongoing lab projects in which the student may also become involved include: the developement and evaluation of an anger management treatment for female juvenile offenders in residential juvenile justice facilities; identification of characteristics that predict violation and successful completion of juveniles' probation; and juveniles' competence to waive the right to counsel during court hearings. Contingent on level of involvement, the student may have opportunities to co-author publications and/or presentations on the research.

Associated Independent Study:
Data are currently available for the student to conduct an independent study project on juveniles' self-reported likelihood of offering true and false confessions to police during police interrogations. Previous COAS Humanities Research Fellows have presented their independent study projects at national and international psychology-law conferences.

Gained Experience:
This is an ideal position for students wishing to apply to graduate school in the future. Students will acquire both clinical and research skills. They will learn how to conduct standardized assessments that are frequently used in both clinical and research contexts. In addition, they will learn about the field of forensic psychology, acquire hands-on experience conducting clinical-forensic research with inmates in facilities, and they will gain experience in both juvenile and adult forensic psychology. Previous COAS Humanities Research Fellows have continued their work in Dr. Goldstein's lab throughout graduate school, and all have authored and/or co-authored conference presentations at nation and international psychology-law conferences.

Outcome:
The project is expected to be published in multiple journal articles, and data will be presented at national and international conferences. In addition, the data will be included in the revised version of the forensic assessment manual for the Miranda Rights Comprehension Instruments. Additionally, findings from this study are disseminated to judges, attorneys, and policy-makers through court briefs, policy papers, and training workshops.

Tasks:
The student will conduct psycho-legal testing with male and female offenders in Philadelphia's prisons using assessment tools that are commonly used in forensic evaluations. Under close supervision, the student will administer standardized tests to assess IQ, academic achievement, mental health symptoms, suggestibility to police pressure, and comprehension of Miranda rights. The student will also score assessments, enter data for the study, and assist with presentation of study findings. / / In addition, the student will attend weekly lab meetings in which s/he will have opportunities to learn about and work on other research studies in different areas of forensic psychology. Ongoing lab projects in which the student may also become involved include: the developement and evaluation of an anger management treatment for female juvenile offenders in residential juvenile justice facilities; identification of characteristics that predict violation and successful completion of juveniles' probation; and juveniles' competence to waive the right to counsel during court hearings. Contingent on level of involvement, the student may have opportunities to co-author publications and/or presentations on the research.

Location:
Work for this project will take place in both Philadelphia prisons and in Dr. Goldstein's lab (2nd floor of Stratton). All assessments will take place at the prisons (the Fellow will always be accompanied by an experienced doctoral student who will provide close supervision during testing). All data-related work will take place in Dr. Goldstein's lab on Drexel's Main Campus. If the student also becomes involved in the project on juvenile probation, the work will take place at the Philadelphia Defender Association (on the 1400 block of Sansom).

Meetings:
Hours to be determined in consultation with the student. The student must attend lab meetings (to be held during business hours), and the student must be available to conduct assessments. The specific assessment days will be deterimined together, but full days are required to complete assessments.

Interview Availability:
April 17, April 18