Difference Between Admission and Confession

Admission vs Confession

Admission and confession are two very important concepts used in law of evidence by lawyers to strengthen their cases in the eyes of the jury. Both admissions and confessions are used as sources of evidence. Most of us are familiar with the concept of confession as we accept and talk about our wrong doing and guilt in a church, in the presence of a father. Admission, on the other hand, refers to statement accepted by a person. Acknowledgement of a fact is akin to admitting it. There are many similarities in the two concepts, but there are also subtle differences that will be highlighted in this article.

Admission

If a person gives a nod to a fact or statement, he actually admits or acknowledges the fact. Prior admission by a person can be taken in a court of law as a statement that proves guilt or a crime. People make admissions in their lives many a times about their fears, their aspirations, their acts of commission and omission, but never have to deal with them.

We admit our hurt and anger, repentance and sense of rejection and dejection, but these admissions do not lead to any action. It is an admission during interrogation that is an acceptance of a fact or statement and holds significance in proving the guilt or wrong doing of a person. Admission as a source of evidence is mostly used in civil cases.

Confession

Confession is the act of acknowledging one’s involvement in an act of crime or wrong doing. When an accused accepts his guilt, he is said to be making a confession. In earlier times, confession was considered to be enough to prove the guilt of a person, but today an accused can easily retract from his confession saying his confession was a result of forceful interrogation or an attempt to escape torture.

Confession is not mentioned or defined in the Indian Evidence Act, and admission by a criminal or accused in case of crime is usually accepted as a confession.

What is the difference between Admission and Confession?

• Both confession, as well as admission, is a source of evidence in a court of law

• Confession is acceptance of guilt in a crime or wrong doing while admission is the acknowledgment of a statement or a fact

• Admission is used mostly in civil cases while confession is used mostly in criminal cases

• An accused can retract from confession made earlier, but retraction from admission is not possible

• Confession is made by the accused while admission can be made by others also

• Admission of guilt in the presence of a Father, in a church, is confession