Okuzeka
Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Police Investigation & Arrest

Confession

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/kənˈfeʃn/nounCore term

In criminal law & justice, confession means: A statement in which a person admits that they committed a crime, usually made to the police during questioning.

In Turkish: itiraf, ikrar

How it is used

Suspects 'make' or 'sign' a confession and may later 'retract' it. Courts examine whether a confession was given freely; one obtained by force, threats or unfair pressure is excluded. The verb is 'confess (to)'.

Example sentences

  1. The suspect made a full confession after six hours.

  2. His lawyer argued that the confession was obtained under pressure.

  3. Without the confession, the evidence against her was weak.

Common collocations

  • make a confession
  • full confession
  • retract a confession
  • false confession
  • signed confession
  • statementA written or recorded account of what a person saw, heard or did, given formally to the police or a court.
  • interrogationThe formal and often long questioning of a suspect by the police or other officials in order to get information or a confession.
  • plead guiltyTo tell the court formally that you admit committing the crime you are charged with; 'plead not guilty' means you deny it.
  • right to remain silentA suspect's legal right not to answer questions from the police or the court, so that nobody can be forced to give evidence against themselves.
  • evidenceInformation, objects, documents or testimony that a court can use to decide whether something is true, for example whether the defendant committed the crime.

More terms: Police Investigation & Arrest

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.