Consequence Escalation

This intimidation tactic involves painting a dire picture of what will happen if the juvenile doesn't confess: transfer to adult court, decades in prison, being labeled a violent offender, or being victimized in detention facilities. Interrogators leverage the minor's fear and limited understanding of legal procedures to create panic. They may contrast this frightening scenario with the supposedly better outcome of confessing, creating a false binary choice. Young suspects, already vulnerable to authority and lacking the cognitive development to properly assess risk and resist pressure, may confess simply to avoid the terrifying consequences described, even when those threats are exaggerated or the confession itself guarantees the very outcomes they're trying to avoid.