Research Questions
Are potential jurors more likely to doubt confessions when given by very fatigued and sleep-deprived individuals?
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of juror perceptions of sleep-deprived suspect confessions. This topic is important because false confessions are more likely to occur when suspects are sleep-deprived and extremely fatigued following lengthy interrogations. Having an understanding of lay perceptions about confessions is vital to close the gaps between scientific understanding and general public knowledge, and to inform the courts in charge of confession reliability decision-making.
Krizan, Z., Curran, B. (2026). Do Jurors Doubt Confessions from Sleep-Deprived Suspects? [Poster Presentation]. SLEEP 2026: Annual Conference of the Sleep Research Society