ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines specific aspects of the Spanish legal system and highlight two factors that may impair judicial decision-making: False statements and false confessions. False confessions in Spain are rare despite decades of international research showing how easily people can be coerced to confess transgressions they did not commit. Judicial criteria currently used to assess victim and witness statements should be defined in more detail and supported by empirical research. The role of forensic psychologists, in this context, is vital to clarify issues regarding the case. Worldwide, researchers have already raised concerns about applying pseudoscientific practices in court. When an innocent person is convicted, the stakes to overturn a final judgment are greatly restricted. It is important to build a bidirectional connection between legal and psychological experts in an interdisciplinary committee to establish fundamental changes in the system based on scientific Spanish research.
