Chapter 6 Interviews and Interrogations Chapter Objectives 1

Chapter 6 Interviews and Interrogations

Chapter Objectives 1. Differentiate between interviews and interrogations. 2. Describe effective interviewing and interrogation techniques. 3. Describe the procedures for conducting the cognitive interview technique. 4. Explain the procedures for proper interrogations. continued on next slide

Chapter Objectives 5. Summarize the legal requirements of interviewing and interrogation, including Miranda rights. 6. Identify how lying and deception are detected. 7. Explain why people confess. 8. Summarize how to take written and recorded statements.

Learning Objective 6. 1 Differentiate between interviews and interrogations.

Interview vs. Interrogation • The interview § § Non-accusatory Formal conversation Purpose of information Prior to interrogation continued on next slide

Interview vs. Interrogation • The interrogation § § Logic and rational arguments Systematic questioning Purpose of confession Later in investigation

Learning Objective 6. 2 Describe effective interviewing and interrogation techniques.

Interview and Interrogation Techniques • Fundamentals of effective interviews § § § § Develop a plan of action. Conduct the interview in private. Place the interviewee at ease. Be a good listener. Ask the right questions. Do not dispute the subject's answers. Maintain control of the interview. Take brief notes. continued on next slide

Interview and Interrogation Techniques • Suspects, witnesses, victims, and the complainant should be separated prior to interviewing.

Learning Objective 6. 3 Describe the procedures for conducting the cognitive interview technique.

Cognitive Interview • The cognitive interview technique is used for eliciting information from victims and witnesses as opposed to obtaining confessions from suspects. • Primary focus is to make witnesses and victims of a situation aware of all the events that transpired. continued on next slide

Cognitive Interview • Traditional interview § Specific questions for brief response § Extracts information • Cognitive interview § Less directive for narrative response § Elicits information continued on next slide

Cognitive Interview • Major subtypes of cognitive interviewing methods § Think-aloud interviewing § Verbal-probing techniques

Learning Objective 6. 4 Explain the procedures for proper interrogations.

Goals of Interrogation • Learn the truth of the crime and how it happened. • Obtain an admission of guilt from the suspect. • Obtain all facts to determine the method of operation and the circumstances of the crime. continued on next slide

Goals of Interrogation • Gather information that enables investigations to arrive at logical conclusions. • Provide information to use by prosecutors in possible court action.

Learning Objective 6. 5 Summarize the legal requirements of interviewing and interrogation, including Miranda rights.

Legal Requirements • Improper (even illegal) behavior by police investigators will result in any confession obtained from the suspect deemed inadmissible by the courts. • Legal guidelines to protect the rights of the accused defined further in: § Escobedo v. Illinois (1964) § Miranda v. Arizona (1966) continued on next slide

Legal Requirements • When Miranda is not required § Concern for public safety § Person not in custody continued on next slide

Legal Requirements • Interrogation setting § Creating privacy is essential to obtain admissions or a confession. § The room should be sterile. § There should be no barriers between the suspect and the interrogator. continued on next slide

Legal Requirements • Interrogation styles § § § Logical Sympathetic Indifferent Face-saving Egotistical

Learning Objective 6. 6 Identify how lying and deception are detected.

Detecting Lying and Deception • Indicators of deceptive behavior § Vocal changes § Stalling before answering continued on next slide

Detecting Lying and Deception • Commonly used lying techniques § Use of specifics § Arguing trivial points rather than address real issue § Debating tactic § "You don't understand" tactic § "Loophole" liar

Physical Characteristics of Lying

Detecting Lying and Deception • The polygraph § Measures physiological responses from a person, including fear, anxiety, excitation, and other emotions continued on next slide

Detecting Lying and Deception • Value of polygraph looked at in two areas § Reliability • Consistency of the examinations results § Validity • Accuracy of the examination • Results of polygraph tests are not currently admissible in court as absolute evidence. continued on next slide

Detecting Lying and Deception • Voice stress analyzer § Uses a microphone plugged into a computer to analyze the subjects responses § Detects, measures, and displays changes in the voice print frequency

Learning Objective 6. 7 Explain why people confess.

Why People Confess • Most guilty persons who confess: § Are looking for the proper opening during the interrogation to communicate their guilt to investigators § Believe cooperation is the best course of actions • Interrogators are able to speculate correctly on why the crimes were committed continued on next slide

Why People Confess • Admission § A self-incriminating statement made by the suspect that falls short of acknowledgment of guilt • Confession § A direct acknowledgment by the suspect of their guilt in commission of or being an integral part of a specified crime

Learning Objective 6. 8 Summarize how to take written and recorded statements.

Written and Recorded Statements • Obtain a written confession in the suspect's own writing. • If dictated, make sure it is read back to the suspect prior to signing. • Make sure the process is thoroughly documented in the police report. continued on next slide

Written and Recorded Statements • Recorded statements § When an investigator chooses to record a statement, the interrogation should still be conducted first. • Video confession § An interrogation captured on video should provide a complete and objective record of the police-suspect interaction

Chapter Summary • An interview is a relatively formal conversation conducted for the purpose of obtaining information. • An interrogation is the systematic questioning of a suspect for the purpose of obtaining a confession. continued on next slide

Chapter Summary • The investigator will have a more productive interview if it can be conducted at a location where the suspect is mentally relaxed, subjects are separated before questioning begins, and the investigator asks the right open-ended questions. continued on next slide

Chapter Summary • The cognitive interview technique is used for eliciting information from victims and witnesses, as opposed to obtaining confessions from suspects. • The interrogation is designed to match new information with a particular suspect to secure a confession. continued on next slide

Chapter Summary • Several types of behavior are improper (even illegal) for police investigators and will result in any confession obtained from the suspect being deemed inadmissible by the courts. • An investigator can detect deceptive behavior by observing, cataloguing, and differentiating human behavior. continued on next slide

Chapter Summary • Suspects may make confessions when they believe cooperation is the best course of action or when interrogators are able to speculate correctly on why the crimes were committed. continued on next slide

Chapter Summary • The intelligence level of the suspect, the amount and nature of information to be recorded, and the availability of stenographic services determine what methods are used to take a statement.