COGNITIVE INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE Compliments the Interview by verifying

COGNITIVE INTERVIEW TECHNIQUE Compliments the Interview by verifying information and recalling further detail.

Cognition: The mental process by which information is acquired or recalled. Cognitive Interviewing: -Memory functions best in CONTEXT. -We want information and details. -We assist the witness recall information in context.

Forgetting Storage Failure: Due to sudden shock or impairment. Or a disruption to the memory once it is stored in Long Term Storage (LTS) Retrieval Failure: Time (decay) Repression Distortion Interference Change of context Change of mood

The Problem: An inability to remember (Sometimes you just can’t retrieve the memory). Potential for contamination (leading questions, false confession/information based upon previous experiences of the subject/witness, etc. ).

The Cognitive Interview: (Done after a traumatic event (i. e. bank robbery)) 1. Remove Emotional Barriers. 2. Reconstruct the Circumstances (Context) 3. Report Everything. 4. Recall Events in a Different Order. 5. Change Perspectives.

1. Remove Emotional Barriers Are you O. K. ? “Anyone who went through this would be nervous, but it’s over now. ” “I see that you’re upset, but you are safe now. ” Don’t be afraid to take the witness to a safe environment. Emotion/Anxiety Ability to Recall

2. Reconstruct the Circumstances Place the witness back at the scene, and have them use all their senses. Sight: What did you see in the area? Who was there? Can you sketch the area? Smell: What did you smell? Sound: What sounds did you hear in the area? Taste: Did the taste remind you of anything? Touch: How did it (event) feel? Did it remind you of anything?

3. Report Everything “Tell me everything. Don’t leave anything out, no matter how small the detail. ” “Sometimes the little things matter. Tell me everything you can remember. ”

4. Recall the Events in a Different Order End - Middle - Beginning OR Middle - Beginning - End

5. Change Perspectives “If you were standing at a different angle, what would you have seen? ” “If you were a fly on the wall what would you have seen? ” “If a camera were nearby, what additional detail would it have recorded? ”

Specific Questions for Retrieval 1. Names (Go through names) 2. Numbers (Did the numbers remind you of anything. Go through numbers) 3. Conversations (Did the conversation remind you of anything? ) 4. Descriptions (Use associations of people for height, weight, etc. ) 5. Accents (Did the accent remind you of someone you know? ) 6. Etc.

The Cognitive Interview: (Done after a traumatic event (i. e. bank robbery)) 1. Remove Emotional Barriers. 2. Reconstruct the Circumstances (Context) 3. Report Everything. 4. Recall Events in a Different Order. 5. Change Perspectives.