Interviewing & Interrogation Techniques

While physical evidence is important to criminal investigations, much of the information in any case will be obtained through interviews and interrogations. Officers spend a large portion of their time talking to people and gathering information from those discussions. Outstanding interview and interrogation skill is essential to any investigator.

Basics

An interview and an interrogation are not the same thing. Interviews are conducted with people who have a familiarity with the case, but are not suspects themselves, typically witnesses or friends and family members of the suspects. An interrogation is conducted on someone suspected of actual involvement in the crime.

Before conducting an interview or interrogation, have a full understanding of as many facts of the case as you can. Proper preparation can help you more readily recognize inconsistencies and important information.

Question Formation

Investigators will employ a wide variety of questioning techniques when conducting an interview or interrogation. This includes alternating between direct and indirect questions. Direct questions are short and to the point, leaving little room for misinterpretation. Indirect questions are more open-ended, with a goal of getting the subject talking freely.

For example, "What time did you last see your wife?" is a direct question, designed to elicit a specific response. "How well did you get along with your wife?" is more indirect, eliciting a much longer answer from the subject. Alternating between the two encourages conversation on the part of the subject, while ensuring that the investigator gets the necessary hard facts.

Active Listening

Investigators will employ active listening techniques by repeating the subject's statements. They will also repeat the same question, but in different ways. This can help reveal lies or ambiguities in the suspect's statements. Investigators will ask suspects or interviewees to repeat their story numerous times to reveal gaps or inconsistencies in the story. People ordinarily will vary a story when they retell it, but if the subject tells the story in exactly the same way every time, it can indicate a rehearsed answer.

Shifting the Blame

Investigators will often attempt to shift the blame from the subject in order to elicit further and more truthful responses. This can include maximizing or minimizing the crime, placing the blame on someone else, or rationalizing the crime for the subject. If the subject feels as though the investigator understands why he committed the crime, he may be more inclined to discuss the details freely. Solid interview and interrogation technique involves building a rapport with the subject, and shifting the blame away from the subject helps.

Procedures

All interviewers and interrogators must observe proper procedures. This can include ensuring that Miranda warnings are read and a suspect's right to counsel is respected. It also includes making sure interviews and interrogations are recorded when possible. This aids you in keeping an accurate record of the investigation and minimizes the potential for allegations of misconduct on your part.

References

• Criminal Investigation, 9th Edition; Karen M. Hess and Christine Hess Orthmann; 2009