Jordan Smith discusses her research into the “BlueLeaks” archive of the leaked personal data of hundreds of thousands of cops and their cases. Smith was looking for evidence of unscientific techniques that the police use to elicit confessions and get convictions—and she found them in abundance. It turns out that the use of coercive interrogation techniques, discredited pseudoscience and phony forensic methods has become common practice in America’s law enforcement agencies for decades. Smith works tirelessly to advocate for what should be acceptable to just about everyone: practices that are actually verified by science, such that the cops can be efficient and accurate, while treating people justly and humanely.

Discussed on the show:

• “The Junk Science Cops Use to Decide You’re Lying” (The Intercept)
• “BlueLeaks Hack Exposes Personal Data of 700,000 Cops” (The Intercept)
• “The Negotiator (1998)” (IMDb)
• High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group — FBI

Jordan Smith is an investigative journalist based in Austin, Texas. She has covered criminal justice for 20 years and is regarded as one of the best investigative reporters in Texas. A longtime staff writer for the Austin Chronicle, she now writes for The Intercept.

This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: NoDev NoOps NoIT, by Hussein Badakhchani; The War State, by Mike Swanson; WallStreetWindow.com; Tom Woods’ Liberty Classroom; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott; Listen and Think Audio; TheBumperSticker.com; and LibertyStickers.com.

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