Researchers at Iowa State University say many suspects, witnesses and victims who enter the justice system are exhausted, anxious and sleep‑deprived. Sleep loss can change memory, judgment and behaviour, and this can affect the accuracy of legal statements.
The review finds that people involved with police often have poorer and more disrupted sleep than the general population. Interviews and interrogations commonly happen at night or after long waits, so tiredness is common during questioning.
The authors propose three simple levels of impairment (for example about 24, 48 and 72 hours without sleep or similar short‑sleep patterns). They recommend recording interviews, noting signs of fatigue, and making procedures that take sleep loss into account.
Difficult words
- exhausted — very tired after physical or mental effort
- anxious — worried or nervous about something that may happen
- sleep‑deprived — not having enough sleep for normal function
- disrupted — broken or changed so the normal order stops
- interrogation — a formal set of questions by policeinterrogations
- fatigue — a strong feeling of physical or mental tiredness
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever been tired during an important interview or meeting? What happened?
- How could police or lawyers help people who are very tired during questioning?
- Do you think recording interviews is useful? Why or why not?
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