Commentary How many times have you seen these scenarios play out on TV crime dramas? The savvy detective tells a scared kid in the interrogation room that if he will just confess, then the cops can promise leniency. Or the investigator tells the juvenile that his buddy in the other room has spilled his guts. To save himself, the suspect is told, he needs to start talking and confess to his crime. Except the kid in the other room hasn’t actually said anything yet. Now, two states—Illinois and Oregon—have passed laws forbidding police from using deception when dealing with suspects under the age of 18. Other states—Washington, Connecticut, Delaware, and New York—are considering similar legislation. The latter’s proposal extends beyond just minors and would also prohibit police from lying to anyone being interrogated. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that it was okay for police to be deceitful while …
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