The issue of false accusations is a topical problem that needs to be managed, especially given the fact that there are vulnerable groups that are more susceptible toward false accusations than others are. In her speech, Malloy (2016) explains that young people are prone to confessing to the crimes that they did not commit due to the inconsistencies in the modern justice system and the lack of strategies and training needed to question underage people properly.
According to Malloy (2016), there is a higher rate of possibility for teenagers to waive their Miranda right when being questioned, due to high psychological pressure levels combined with the profound lack of basic knowledge of the justice system. However, the most common reason for the specified age group to confess to the crimes that they never committed is the lack of techniques for questioning teenagers that can be observed in the modern legal environment.
The assertion made by Malloy can be proven when considering developmental theories that delve into the psychology of adolescents. For example, the theory of cognitive development in adolescents provided by Piaget shows that the specified age group is prone to high levels of self-consciousness, which may lead to low self-esteem (McCormick & Scherer, 2018). As a result, the probability of young people resorting to a confession due to psychological pressure increases exponentially.
Malloy insists that strategies for questioning young people should be introduced into the modern legal environment. In addition, the support of legal counselors and advisors should be seen as necessary for both young people who have been accused of a crime and their family members, particularly, parents or legal guardians. Launching education processes in law enforcement units along with the creation of counseling services for young people and their parents will help to reduce the threat of false convictions in adolescents.
References
Malloy, L. (2016). Why teens confess to crimes they did not commit [Video file]. Web.
McCormick, S. B., & Scherer, D. G. (2018). Child and adolescent development for educators (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.