This article provides a psychological framework for understanding the process and mechanisms which led to the false confession. Under PACE, learning disabled persons may not be interviewed by police or asked to provide a signed statement in the absence of an appropriate adult, defined as someone independent of the police, such as a relative or professional who has experience in dealing with mentally disordered persons. The cognitive- behavioral model of confession described here postulates that confessions, whether true or false, arise through the existence of a particular relationship between the suspect, the environment, and significant others within that environment. The model examines the antecedents and consequences, both social, cognitive, emotional, situation, and physiological, that can motivate a suspect to confess. 1 table and 18 references