title: The role of suggestibility in determinations of Miranda abilities: a study of the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales.
abstract: Traditionally, high levels of suggestibility have been widely assumed to be linked with diminished Miranda abilities, especially in relationship to the voluntariness of waivers. The current investigation examined suggestibility on the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales in a multisite study of pretrial defendants. One important finding was the inapplicability of British norms to American jurisdictions. Moreover, suggestibility appeared unrelated to Miranda comprehension, reasoning, and detainees' perceptions of police coercion. In testing rival hypotheses, defendants with high compliance had significantly lower Miranda comprehension and ability to reason about exercising Miranda rights than their counterparts with low compliance. Implications of these findings to forensic practice are examined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: South Carolina Department of Mental Health.
authors.forename: Kimberly S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rogstad
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma Indigent Defense System.
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: LaFortune
authors.affiliation: Patton State Hospital.
authors.forename: Lisa L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hazelwood
mesh_terms: D003068:Coercion; D003415:Crime / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D009825:Oklahoma; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D013404:Suggestion; D013781:Texas; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000523:psychology*