| Private Investigation Education: Interrogation | | | | interrogation room is typically plain, but |
| Prepare Mentally | | | | comfortably furnished, and devoid of pictures or |
| Careful mental preparation is absolutely and | | | | items that can distract attention. A room used |
| unequivocally required before interrogating. Mental | | | | only for interrogating often will have a built-in |
| preparation involves: | | | | two-way mirror. The room must be neither so |
| • Developing a full knowledge of case facts | | | | hot nor so cold as to permit later contentions that |
| by, for example, studying the statements of | | | | information was extracted through physical |
| witnesses, notes, sketches, photographs, | | | | discomfort. Furniture should consist of three |
| documents, and forensic findings. | | | | comfortable chairs and a table large enough to |
| • Mentally reconstructing the commission of | | | | write on but not large enough for the suspect to |
| the incident. Anticipating denials. | | | | use the table as a psychological barrier. Items that |
| • Preparing a list of logically ordered topics to | | | | will be needed, such as pens, paper, and forms, |
| be covered during the interrogation. | | | | should be in place prior to beginning. If the room is |
| • Preparing a list of questions for each topic. | | | | equipped with a telephone, it should be |
| Timing | | | | disconnected or removed for the purpose of |
| The general rule is to question witnesses first and | | | | eliminating interruption. Any item in the room that |
| the suspect last. But you can bend the rule when | | | | could be used as a weapon must be removed. |
| you think that early questioning will keep the | | | | Conduct the Interrogation |
| suspect from fabricating an alibi or synchronizing a | | | | Interrogation can be time-consuming but this is |
| story with accomplices. | | | | hardly a reason for hurrying through. A time limit |
| The timing of an interrogation should rely on | | | | should not be set but neither should the length of |
| advantages to be gained. Ask yourself "If I | | | | the interrogation suggest in any way that the |
| interrogate now, what advantages can I gain?" | | | | suspect had been denied basic human needs such |
| Potential advantages are discerned from weighing | | | | as rest, food, drink, and toilet use. |
| many factors, such as the evidence at hand, your | | | | The suspect should be seated at the side of a |
| readiness, and the vulnerability of the suspect. | | | | table where you can fully observe body language. |
| Interrogating is like waging a war, and winning the | | | | If there is a window in the interrogation room, |
| war is often a matter of knowing when to attack. | | | | chairs should be arranged so that window light falls |
| Evaluate the Suspect | | | | on the face of the suspect rather than your face. |
| Generally speaking, physiological changes that | | | | Chair arrangement should also preclude the |
| occur in a suspect's body are stronger with | | | | suspect from being able to gaze out a window. |
| persons of high intelligence. This does not mean | | | | Control of the interrogation is in great measure |
| that the indicators of deception are always more | | | | dependent on the initial impression made by you. |
| visible; the intelligent suspect may possess a | | | | Because first impressions are important, your |
| well-developed capacity to conceal inner tension. A | | | | appearance must be such that an aura of |
| suspect with low intelligence may not understand | | | | competence and self-confidence is projected. |
| he/she/ is under attack or may not appreciate | | | | Your opening remarks should be appropriate in |
| the full extent of the danger. | | | | terms of how you evaluate the suspect. For |
| A suspect may be emotionally unstable as the | | | | example, a suspect who considers himself or |
| result of something entirely separate from the | | | | herself superior to you may be addressed by his |
| matter under investigation, and it is always difficult | | | | last name, instructed to sit, instructed not to |
| to interpret the behavioral signals of an | | | | smoke, and manipulated in ways that quickly |
| emotionally unstable person. The non-verbal forms | | | | establish you as the person in charge. |
| of communication exhibited by an unstable person | | | | The degree of success or failure at eliciting |
| are exactly opposite of a stable person. | | | | information is linked to your ability to estimate the |
| Some behavioral signals have cultural or ethnic | | | | probable guilt of the person to be interrogated. Is |
| roots. A gesture might appear to be a deceptive | | | | the individual a possible suspect or a darn good |
| signal when in fact it was a typical, normal | | | | suspect? The answer to the question may be |
| expression used by the individual during his | | | | found in a close look at what you already have |
| interactions with other persons of the same | | | | such as witness statements and physical evidence. |
| culture or ethnic background. | | | | The answer may also come from your |
| When a suspect is under the influence of drugs or | | | | experience as an investigator and what your inner |
| alcohol, there may be a delay in the response | | | | voice is saying. |
| time between stimulus (question) and reaction | | | | Also of importance is your ability to select and |
| (deceptive signal). If you believe a suspect is | | | | employ communication approaches that correctly |
| under the influence, terminate the interrogation. | | | | correspond to the suspect's personality and |
| Arrange the Environment | | | | attitude. This ability rests largely on your training, |
| Furniture and seating arrangements should be | | | | practical experience, psychological insight, and pure |
| such as to place the interrogator in a comfortable, | | | | native ability. Many investigators refer to these |
| psychologically dominant position in relation to the | | | | factors as the "key" that allows passage through |
| suspect. The physical environment should be | | | | a door into the heart and mind of the suspect. |
| interrogator-friendly and provide privacy. It should | | | | Finding the correct key and opening the door at |
| have clerical assistance, people nearby to serve | | | | the critical moment epitomizes very great skill. |
| as observers, and audio/video equipment. An | | | | |