Miranda Waivers and the Validation of Miranda Measures: An Investigation of Miranda Knowledge, Beliefs and Decisions

最高法院在其具有里程碑意义的米兰达诉美国案判决中确立了对在押嫌疑人的宪法保护。法院虽然列出了米兰达警告的基本组成部分（例如，保持沉默的权利），但始终拒绝具体说明这种警告或弃权的语言。结果，我们发现了800多个不同版本的《米兰达》，长度从21到408个单词不等，阅读水平从2.8年级到大学毕业都有很大差异。在对被拘留者的分析中，该项目在逮捕后的多个时间点进行了观察，确定了损害米兰达理解和随后决策的心理脆弱性。潜在的弱点包括智力有限、学习障碍和精神障碍。除了心理上的脆弱，嫌疑人的思维模式也可能受损，被称为认知扭曲，这影响了他们理性决定是否放弃沉默和咨询权利的能力。该项目研究心理脆弱性和认知扭曲如何损害嫌疑人的宪法保护。他们是针对典型的米兰达警告，这些警告写在简单（低于6级），中等（8至10级）和困难（12级或更高）的阅读水平上。他们也会被评估警告呈现的类型（口头还是书面）。第二个目标是发展简化的米兰达警告，通过向被拘留的嫌疑人提供容易理解的信息来促进程序正义。在这样做的过程中，该研究确定了米兰达警告的原型成分，这些成分简短、清晰、易于阅读。对这些简化的警告进行了测试，以确保其清晰易懂。最后，本研究旨在为米兰达词汇的标准化评估、对米兰达警告的理解和对米兰达豁免的决策提供可靠和有效的米兰达测量方法。

The Supreme Court in its landmark decision of Miranda v. United States established constitutional protections for suspects in custody. While mapping out the basic components of Miranda warnings (e.g., right to silence), the Court has consistently declined to specify the language of such warnings or waivers. As a result, more than 800 different versions of Miranda have been identified that vary markedly in length from 21 to 408 words and reading level from grade 2.8 and post-college. In an analysis of detainees with observations taken at multiple time points following arrest, this project identifies psychological vulnerabilities that impair Miranda comprehension and subsequent decision making. Potential vulnerabilities include limited intelligence, learning disabilities, and mental disorders. Beyond psychological vulnerabilities, suspects may have impaired thinking patterns, called cognitive distortions, which affect their abilities to rationally decide whether to give up their rights to silence and counsel. This project examines how psychological vulnerabilities and cognitive distortions may impair suspects' constitutional protections. They are addressed for representative Miranda warnings written at easy (less than grade 6), moderate (grade 8 to 10), and difficult (grade 12 or higher) reading levels. They are also evaluated for the type of warning presentation (oral versus written). A second objective is the development of simplified Miranda warnings that can facilitate procedural justice by informing custodial suspects with easily understood information. In doing so, the study identifies prototypical components of Miranda warnings that are brief, clear, and easily read. These simplified warnings are tested for their clarity and ease of comprehension. Finally, the research is expected to contribute to the development of reliable and valid Miranda measures for the standardized assessment of Miranda vocabulary, comprehension of Miranda warnings, and decision-making about Miranda waivers.