No Crueler Tyrannies Analysis

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I believe that the nature of the criticism of No Crueler Tyrannies is one that condemns the psychologists of the Amirault Case, arguing that their questionable methods of interrogation and procedure disillusioned the results of the case, resulting in contributions to the societal hysteria of child sex abuse, false child witness testimony, and false accusations against the Amiraults. In No Crueler Tyrannies, the nature of the censure of the psychologists is one that exposes the distortion they caused due to their use of coercion in the outcomes of the case, which included a derived increase in the moral panic of child sex abuse. Following the initial parent phone call received to Violet regarding allegations that Gerald Amirault, her son, is …show more content…
Unfortunately, psychologists used leading questions, and suggestibility that lead to witness testimonies of events against the Amiraults that never actually occurred. At the beginning of the investigation, children denied all forms of a statement against the Amiraults—not because they were “children in denial” as psychologists referred to them as, but rather because it was the truth. For example, when Nurse Susan Kelley, the head psychologist on the case, repeatedly questioned a child witness regarding whether or not she was sexually touched by Gerald Amirault, she began to show signs of anger and frustration because the psychologists believed that “persistence was key” and that “no” never meant “no” with these children. The book criticizes how this method of interrogation resulted in false confessions from 4 and 5 year olds, feeling societally pressured, subjected and weighed on to place the Amiraults in prison. In addition, the book states that persistence had yielded a wealth of changes over the case, therefore criticizing that the intense methods of interrogation changed the course of the trial. With this proof, I certainly agree in that the methods of the psychologists disillusioned the results …show more content…
As I have stated, the trial lacked any form of strong, fundamental evidence, besides corroborated child witness testimonies from the children of Fells Acres Daycare implemented by the prosecution’s psychologists, using methods of intensity, suggestibility and bias to change the memories of the children. Due to these psychologists and false witness testimonies, Gerald, Cheryl and Violet Amirault faced charges they wrongfully were convicted of. Furthermore, the book comments on the fact that the case against the Amiraults was a sham built on accusations coaxed from children. In addition, the book discusses and focuses in upon the instance where Gerald Amirault was released on commutation due to lack of true physical evidence and what were referred to as bizarre an extraordinary allegations before the commutation was repealed. Through this, the NCT comments on the idea that the idea of such allegations without hard-hitting evidence besides from gullible children, is solely the fault of the psychologists, identifying Nurse Kelley as the pure root of the entire false accusation. In my opinion, I think that this conclusion that it is the psychologists unprofessional actions that led to the miscarriage of justice of the Amiraults is quite relevant and accurate. As the prosecutions