BTR News – Unveiling the Shadows: Police Deception, Youth Interrogation, and the Prison-Industrial Complex

by Scotty T. Reid

While discussing police deception in youth interrogations, it’s crucial to consider the broader implications of incarceration within the context of the prison-industrial complex aka modern slavery. The practice of allowing police to lie to suspects, whether young or old, is just one facet of a deeply flawed system and perhaps its most grievous one.

In recent years, public awareness has grown regarding the issue of deceptive tactics used by law enforcement during interrogations, especially when dealing with vulnerable youth. Personally, the one case I will remember the most is that of Davontae Sanford, whose case was heavily covered by BTRN when the teen was framed by Detroit cops for a quadruple murder on the city’s east side in 2007. These tactics often involve fabricating evidence, bluffing about the existence of incriminating proof, or implying leniency in exchange for a confession. These practices, while controversial, are permitted by the legal systems in the United States.

However, it’s essential to recognize that incarceration, aka prison slavery itself is a profitable industry in the United States. Slavery Abolitionists argue that the new system of slavery created by the 13th Amendment benefits from a steady influx of inmates. This perspective sheds light on how the criminal justice system may not only perpetuate injustice but also serve private and public economic interests.

Incarceration disproportionately affects marginalized communities, and youth are no exception particularly those that live in communities classified as nonwhite. Many young individuals find themselves caught in the web of the criminal justice system, often due to factors beyond their control. The consequences of imprisonment extend beyond the individuals themselves, affecting their families and communities.

Critics argue that the system of prison slavery thrives on the continued incarceration of individuals, with profit-driven motives leading to the erosion of fair, just, and humane practices. It’s not only the lives of those wrongfully convicted that are at stake but also the broader public’s trust in the justice system that every day they see the evidence of injustice.

Some activists and legislators have taken steps to address these concerns. In recent years, a handful of U.S. states, including Illinois, Oregon, Utah, and California, have banned the use of deceptive tactics in interrogations of juvenile suspects but obviously, this isn’t enough and the federal government should introduce and pass legislation. Furthermore, there are ongoing efforts in various states, such as Michigan and New York, to implement protective legislation for both youth and adults in police interrogations. The police should never be allowed to lie and use deceptive tactics against anyone if society is to correct this injustice.

However, these small changes in various states represent steps in the right direction, aiming to protect the legal rights of the approximately 700,000 youths under the age of 18 arrested in the U.S. each year. However, advocates argue that addressing police deception is just one aspect of a much larger issue. To truly reform the criminal justice system, it’s essential to consider how the profit-driven motives behind incarceration contribute to the perpetuation of injustice and inequality. Foremost, federal legislators must join Representative Nikema Williams in actually abolishing slavery in the United States. By shedding light on this perspective, we can work toward a more equitable and humane approach to criminal justice.