Forensic Interrogation

Interviewing

In most cases, law enforcement agents find it important to begin interviewing witnesses, victims, complainants, or others who might have useful information as soon as possible. This allows for the information to be fresh in the minds of the individuals and can help prevent “contamination” that might occur from their hearing each other's version of events. Also for this reason, individual interviews are often conducted separately.

If an investigator is to be successful in obtaining valuable information from either a suspect or a witness, he or she must possess excellent communication skills. A seasoned investigator must not only know what to say and what to avoid saying but must also be able to read an individual's verbal and nonverbal cues. This communications process can be fraught with pitfalls, and depending on the circumstance, the interviewer may want to spend some time preparing for the type of discussion that will occur and develop a plan to best achieve his or her goals.

Although conditions and timing are not always ideal, the interviewer should attempt to create an environment that is conducive to the process. Identifying a private location eliminates distractions, allows focus on the matter at hand, and removes concerns that a person may have about telling his or her story in front of others. A sense of rapport between the interviewer and the person being questioned is crucial; the interviewer should attempt to make the individual as comfortable as possible and be considerate of the person's emotional state, especially if he or she has just been a victim of a crime or has witnessed a disturbing event.

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