Interview and Interrogation Flashcards

Flashcards for POL 203 Principles of Investigation Lesson 4

Interview

An informal conversation with a witness, victim, complainant, or other informant in an attempt to gain information about a crime or persons involved.

Interrogation

Formal questioning of a suspect of a crime in a controlled environment (most often the police department), generally with an accusatory tone.

In Custody

Under arrest or otherwise not free to leave, detained.

Separate Parties to Interview

Witnesses, complainant, victim.

Three Step Method of Interview

Subject tells the story, subject retells story while you take notes, read notes back to subject for corrections and additional info.

Goal of Interrogation

Goal is to elicit incriminating statement from a suspect who is under arrest or detained; often referred to as a “custodial interrogation”

Fifth Amendment

Protects citizens from self-incrimination and includes the right to legal counsel.

Miranda Warning

Suspects must be made aware of 4 Constitutional rights prior to questioning; coming from Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

The Miranda Warning

You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney and to have an attorney present during questioning, if you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost.

Berghuis v. Thompkins

Criminal suspects must now unambiguously invoke their right to remain silent

Three Requirements for Miranda to Apply

Cop, custody, and interrogation.

Interrogation Methods

Indirect inquiry, force incriminating responses, deflate or inflate ego, minimize or maximize the crime, project the blame, rationalizing, deception.

ILLEGAL Third Degree Tactics

Physical force or threat, psychological or mental abuse, deny food or water, deny sleep, deny cigarettes to a smoker, withhold rest room breaks.

Verifying Information

Comparing information to what is known, asking for the story to be repeated in different ways to catch inconsistencies.

Recognizing Deception

Microexpressions, eye contact and gaze aversion, changes in pupil size, rapid blinking, rigid posture, fidgety feet, create 'jobs' like brushing lint, barrier formation.

Polygraph Components

Pneumograph (records respiration), Galvanograph (measures electrodermal response), Cardiograph (monitors pulse and blood pressure).

Polygraph Reliability

Serious reliability issues, Rarely, if ever, allowed as evidence in court

Hypnosis

Not used on suspects, used to help witnesses recall events, difficult to get into court.

Truth Serum

Barbiturates that remove inhibitions, Courts don’t recognize or admit evidence gained by their use