CopBlock.org | The Good Cop/Bad Cop Game is a psychological tool that is used by law enforcement interrogators. We have all seen this in television and movies hundreds of times. The suspect is left alone in a room until the strain of anticipation breaks down their defenses. At this point the ‘Bad Cop’ comes in raising hell and assuring the subject that he is already guilty and all that awaits is the nightmare the cop is about to unleash on them. After the interrogated starts to mentally break down under this new stress, the ‘Good Cop’ takes over. ‘GC’ makes comforting reassurances to the suspect that with cooperation, the worst will soon be over. ‘GC’ understands the ‘perp’ and that people make mistakes and ‘GC’ is here to help.
The psychological roller coaster this puts the interrogated under breaks their will and makes them more vulnerable to confessing their crimes. Often it works so well, that the broken individual will admit to crimes they didn’t or couldn’t even have possibly committed. That is because the psychological game of ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’ is not intended to provide genuine results. It is specifically designed and intended to manipulate human beings, which makes their confessions far less than valid, in many cases.
In 1974, John E. Reid and Associates introduced the Reid Interrogation Method through literature and seminars. This method is the basis of the ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’ Game. It was constructed using the following three psychological principles.
Isolation- This is the time the suspect spends alone in a strange place before the interrogation takes place. It is meant to make the subject feel alone, helpless and vulnerable.
Maximization- This where the ‘Bad Cop’ comes in and shakes the subject up by instilling fear and terror through intimidation and threats. Fear further increases the vulnerability of the interrogated.
Minimization- Enter the ‘Good Cop’, who is here to capitalize on the psychological torture and bullying by providing an empathetic and understanding ally. With his reassurances, the tormented individual is given a way out of all of the terror that has been created in them up until now. Read Entire Article
By Joshua Scott Hotchkin
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