In the US state of Illinois, police were banned from lying and distorting information during interrogation of children. The corresponding law was signed by the governor of the state JB Pritzker, reports The Washington Post.
The law will enter into force on January 1, 2022. It prohibits law enforcement officials, inter alia, from promising a false relaxation of a punishment after confession and from claiming evidence against a juvenile suspect in the absence of evidence.
It is noted that Illinois is the first US state to have such a ban. The use of deception tactics during interrogation is generally legal in the country and is widely used by police officers. However, as the newspaper notes, when applied to minors, such methods often lead to false confessions and judicial errors.
According to the governor, the law will ensure that the rights of the most vulnerable segments of society are respected. State Attorney Kim Foxx supported the ban. “We continue to work on correcting the mistakes of the past,” she concluded.
In June 2020, American police were banned from using strangleholds, as they pose an immediate danger to detainees. In addition, following incidents involving the death of a suspect or violent use of force, the department is required to publicize the names of the officers involved and publish videos from their body cameras.
