interview and interrogation test 1

the terms interview and interrogation are often used

interchangeably

what is an interview

a free flowing “non accusatory” meeting or discussion used to gather information

what is an interrogation

an accusational interaction with a suspect, conducted in a controlled environment, designed to persuade the suspect to tell the truth

an interview should be non accusatory even if

you are certain of guilt an you are certain the suspect is lying

during an interview you must develop a

rapport

t/f it is ok to befriend or get the suspect to like you

false

behavior responses can be better observed if questions are asked

conversationally

during the interview what must you find out about the victim and the suspect

their relationship

while gathering investigative information during the interview what should you find out about the suspect

their alibi

their access to crime scene

what are some behavioral responses of a suspect

posture

eye contact

facial expressions

word choice

response delivery

what is the main purpose of an interview

trying to discover the credibility of suspect

an interview may be conducted…

early in investigation

why may an interview be conducted early in an investigation

because an interview is designed to collect information before evidence is analyzed, and before all evidence is collected,

an investigator should use every opportunity to..

interview a suspect

where is the ideal place for an interview

interview room

interviews should be free flowing and relatively

unstructured

during interviews be ready for …

surprises

why should you take written notes in an interview

record suspects responses

become more aware of suspects behavior

slows down the pace of questioning

t/f it is easier to lie when questioned fast

truew

why is it important slow down the pace of quesioning

adds silence and pressure

t/f innocent people become confused if questions are asked too quickly

true

t/f it is not needed to be detailed with note takin

false

interrogations should be ________ in nature

accusatory

t/f a deceptive suspect is not likely to offer admission against his self-interest unless he is convinced that the investigator is certain of his guilt

true

interrogation involves active…

persuasion

investigators should make statements not…

questions

the suspect must be willing to____ to the statements

listen

the purpose of an interrogation is to learn the

truth, not to gain a confession

t/f if no confession is gained but the truth is discovered the interrogation is success

true

an interrogation is conducted in a controlled environment where it is…

private and free from distractions

an interrogation is conducted only when the investigator is reasonably certain of the suspects …

guilt

guilt may be found by an investigator by

suspects behavior during interview

evidence

inconsistencies of suspects account

the investigator should not do what during the interrogation until the suspect has told the truth and is committed to a position of responsibility

take notes

t/f only after a full confession should notes be taken to document the confession

true

non accusatory nature of interview helps establish ____ and _____

rapport and trust

what are 3 benefits of conducting an interview before an interrogation

reveals important information for theme development

locks suspects into lies

gain psychological advantage

suspects must trust the investigators______ and_____

objectivity and sincerity

what evidence should the investigator obtain in regards to background information and facts of the case

records

police reports

victims

witnesses

video tape

what is fact analysis

the ability to identify from factual information the probable motivation for a crime, unique access requirements, window of opportunity and propensity characteristics of the person who committed the crime

what is an investigator

the persons who actually conduct the interview and possible interrogation of the suspect

what is a fact giver

any person who provides information about a case

such as other police officers, witnesses, victims, employer

what must you do prior to contact with suspect

find out as much as you can about evidence and the case

types of evidenc

real and circumstantial

t/f it doesn’t matter if investigators use only the most trusted information while interviewing a suspect or not

false, investigators should only use the most trusted information while interviewing the suspect

why is it important to interview the victim first if possible

the victim has essential information; however, be cautious about lies and exaggerations

what must an investigator do if there is no living victim

interview those suspects who are least likely to be guilty and work your way toward the suspect who is most likely to be involved in the offense

what tends to happen when a guilty person knows others have been talking to you

it tends to make them more nervous

t/f you can rely on certain guesses that are reported to you as fact

false, do not rely on guesses

t/f time of death is an exact science in most cases

false, time of death is not an exact science

t/f DNA is an exact science and may be relied upon

true

t/f when circumstantial and physical evidence points to a particular person, that person is usually guilty

true

some investigators can become_____ to the truth because they believe the person the evidence points to could not have done that

blinded

what are some ways that investigators can become emotionally involved in a case

they are convinced of one persons guilt

they have invested a lot of their time

physical abuse has occurred

rivalry between agencies or officers

t/f interrogation of the suspects should follow, not precede, an investigation conducted to the full extent permissible by the allowable time and circumstances of the particular case

true

what is the principle psychological factor to a successful interview or interrogation

privacy

what is the motivation for all deception

to avoid the consequences of telling the truth

suspects lie to avoid what

being prosecuted

being sent to jail

having to face friends and family

why is privacy extremely important to a suspect

they must feel as if they are in a private place

to create the illusion they are speaking only to you

quiet- directs their attention to you

no bars on windows- feel less trapped

what occurs to the interview room for a non custodial interview

locks and other barriers are removed that might hinder the suspect leaving the room and feeling trapped

why is establishing voluntariness and ones freedom to leave crucial for a non custodial interview

for Miranda purposes

t/f the interview room should be one plain color of white or off white

true

should the interview room have smooth or rough walls

smooth walls, nothing for the suspect to get distracted by

should the interview room have windows

no, the interview room should not have windows, but if it does, place to the rear of the suspect as to not distract them

how should the lighting be in an interview room

good lighting but not glaring

diffused overhead lighting

t/f minimize noise by eliminating phones, pagers, or other distracting noises

true

suspec and interviewer chairs should be about ___ feet apart____ each other

4 feet apart, facing each other

t/f the use of roller or swivel chairs are acceptable in an inter view room

false, chairs should be standard straight back chairs at the same eye level as the interviewer

what are some common traits of an interviewer

intelligent

good practical understanding of human nature

get along well with others

patient

heightened level of suspicion

t/f the cynical investigator believes everyone__; the suspicious investigator actively looks for deceptive behavior or inconsistencies but recognizes that the _____ of people tell the truth

lies, majority

what are some interviewer qualifications

friendly

nonjudgemental

genuine curiosity and concern

enjoy talking with people

separate the suspect from the crime they have committed

comfortable asking questions

confident

what are the three approaches for the initial interview

interview the suspect upon the assumptions of guilt

interview the suspect upon the assumption of innocence

assume a neutral positon

t/f the element of guilt may cause the guilty to become flustered or confused and thus confess

true

t/f a guilty person will usually display no resentment at being thought of as guilty

true

an innocent person will show strong resentment, they have been insulted, in contrast a guilty person is more likely to react____

non verbally

fiddling with clothing

crossing arms/legs

squirming in chair

picking at clothing

turning head away

what are some advantages of assuming innocence during an interview

puts the person at ease thus making it easier to obtain information

may cause a guilty person to lower his guard

if the interviewer has a preconceived expectancy of guilt or innocence the interviewer’s ____ and ____ can be affected

questions and interoperations

how should you dress during an interview

be professional

men wear coat and tie

woman wear dress(conservative and professional)

what should your question tone be like

conversational/ non accusatory

how often should an interviewer take notes

after each answer

t/f if you catch a person in a lie you should scold them

false

a formal interview should be conducted in a controlled_____

environment

and in an interview room

how is an informal interview different than a formal interview

conducted at the scene or during follow up investigation

not usually done in an interview room

when do the Miranda warnings need to be issued

when a suspect is in custody and being asked guilt seeking questions

t/f never tell the suspect he is the prime suspect in a case

true

t/f the pretense for the meeting should not be vague

false it should be vague

how should a formal interview be arranged with a suspect

should be brought up in a casual manner that appears beneficial to the suspect

t/f you should imply that other people involved in the investigation have agreed to meet with you, or have already been interviewed

true

t/f if the suspect does ot agree to meet with you he appears guilty

true

advise the suspect he is not under____ or in your_____ if they don’t want to conduct an interview

arrest or in custody

statements that threaten or insinuate possible arrest will nullify the _____ nature of the interrogation

voluntary

what are some things to do in preparation for the interview

familiarize yourself with dates, times, names, locations

put important data on a cover sheet

key topics should be outlined

what is crucial in establishing rapport with the suspect

establishing a level of comfort or trust

establishing a common ground or something to share in common

small talk

start with name, dob, ect

where do they work / go to school

introductory statements are made to …

identify the issue at hand

establish objectivity concerning the suspects truthfulness or deception

“if the suspect lies his deception will be detected”

make sure the suspect knows that…

if they are innocent the investigation will show that

if they are guilty the investigation will show thatt

t/f one of the greatest fears of the honest is not being believed

false/ the greatest fears of the guilty is not being believed

t/f the innocent person will be relieved at the objectivity of the interviewer

true

how should you act when a obtaining statements from a victim

express concern

allow adult victims to tell their story without interruption

remain sensitive yet objective

ask the victim to write out what happened

what should you do when addressing a witness

address their fears

fears of testifying

fear of retaliation

reluctance to get someone else in trouble

t/f reassuring a witness that others have already come forward and the suspect is on the verge of being arrested is a positive way to reassure them thatthere is comfort in numbers

true