Confessions and Guilty Pleas of Youth

This timely volume focuses on confessions and guilty pleas of youth, providing authoritative, integrated coverage of the developmental sciencerelevant to decisions to self-incriminate and the implications for practice and policy.

In recent years there has been a surge in empirical research on confessions and pleas in general, and among youth specifically. Reforms have been proposed, and some have been adopted. However, in many ways youth continue to be treated either the same as adults or with well-intended, but often misguided, youth-specific procedures based on “common sense” rather than robust developmental science. Growing interest in the topic, coupled with a high volume of scholarship that is not yet reflected in policy, makes the time ripe for this book.

The editors assembled an international group of experts to contribute 27 highly focused chapters reviewing research and theory, examining current practice and procedure, and providing suggestions for empirically based reform. A comprehensive, first-of-its kind work, the book links underlying developmental science with applied scholarship and analysis to help inform practice and facilitate development of empirically supported policy and law that takes appropriate account of the developmental capabilities and limitations of youth suspects and defendants.

Chapters are written for researchers, practitioners, and students across a range of fields, including psychology, law, criminal justice, social work, and law enforcement. The book will be a must-read for those interested in understanding youth self-incrimination in the interrogation room and in the courtroom.