Description

Sleep disruption and the resulting fatigue are a universal human challenge, yet their impact on the outcomes of the criminal justice system is neglected or misunderstood. In this vein, emerging evidence suggests that sleep-related fatigue can undermine the fidelity of legal statements and increase confessions. Accordingly, this presentation addresses the prevalence of sleep disruption among subjects interacting with the criminal justice system, its impact on memory of victims and witnesses, and the role of sleep-related fatigue as a critical vulnerability factor for (false) confessions. Moreover, during sleep itself people can engage in violent or apparently criminal behavior. Even if such behavior occurs without conscious intention or memory, poor understanding of sleep disorders prevents proper determination of suspects’ culpability by legal actors. Therefore, this presentation also overviews parasomnias, sleep-related violence, and highlights critical elements of a valid ‘sleepwalking defense’. Applications of scientific principles are illustrated with references to case law, but also evidentiary and constitutional considerations.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand basics of sleep-circadian science and the impact of sleep and fatigue on memory, compliance, and stress
2. Identify and describe cases of parasomnia and sleep-related violence
3. Recognize legal scenarios that involve sleep disorders or sleep deprivation

Presenter Bio: 

Dr. Zlatan Krizan is a behavioral scientist, author, and consultant on matters involving sleep and fatigue. He is a Professor of Psychology at Iowa State University where he directs the Sleep, Self, and Personality laboratory. He earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Iowa (2007) and has served as faculty at Iowa State University since then. Dr. Krizan has authored more than 80 publications, including an edited book on “Sleep, Personality, and Social Behavior”. His work has been supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Justice, while he currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Research in Personality and an Associate Editor for SLEEP Advances. His work addresses the role of sleep and fatigue in performance and social interactions, with a particular focus on legal contexts and issues spanning investigation, interrogation, and criminal culpability. He consults as an expert with a variety of legal and investigative organizations and provides training on sleep and fatigue management in high-stake settings. He is an elected fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Society of Experimental Social Psychology, and the Future Policing Institute.