An Outbreak of Uncharacteristic Humanity

The state of Illinois has banned police officers lying to children during interrogations.

The fact that it had to be banned, and is generally permitted throughout the country, is an abomination:

Police will be forbidden from using deceptive tactics while interrogating minors under a measure Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law Thursday that made Illinois the first state in the nation to ban the practice.

The bill was one of several Pritzker signed in a morning ceremony that, together with a sweeping piece of legislation he approved earlier this year that includes the eventual elimination of cash bail, represent a major overhaul of the criminal justice system in Illinois under his watch.

Advocates of the new law dealing with how police interrogate minors say lying or using other deceptive actions while questioning a young person can lead to false confessions and ultimately wrongful convictions.

Terrill Swift, who spent 15 years in prison after falsely confessing to a 1994 rape and murder, says that’s what happened to him. DNA evidence later tied the crime to a previously convicted murderer and sex offender.

The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, bars police from knowingly providing false information about evidence or making unauthorized statements about leniency while questioning those 17 and younger. Any confession made under those circumstances will be inadmissible in court unless prosecutors can prove “by a preponderance of the evidence that the confession was voluntarily given.”

This should be the standard nationwide.

In fact, it should go further, and make such behavior by law enforcement a crime.