Interview and Interrogation Exam 3

Emotional Offender

One who would predictable experience a considerable feeling of remorse, mental anguish, or compunction as a result of his offense.

What happens to an emotional offender as the interrogation progresses?

Watery eyes and body posture will become less rigid and more open, without crossed arms and legs.

Nonemotional Offender

A person who ordinarily does not experiences a troubled conscience as a result of committing a crime.

Even though for a nonemotional offender, the crime may be emotional their attitude during the interview is…

Unconcerned and detached attitude

Common mistake investigators make when formulating an investigation strategy?

Assuming based on the offender’s criminal record or demeanor that he must be a nonemotional offender.

Before applying any of the nine steps, what must be given?

Miranda warnings if it’s a custodial suspect and a waiver

Direct, positive confrontation

Starting the interrogation with a direct statement indicating absolute certainty of the suspect’s guilt.

Transition statement

Statement that offers a reason for the interrogation other than eliciting a confession.

How should the direct, positive confrontation be expressed?

Slow, deliberate, and confident manner.

Behavioral pause

A period of intentional silence that follows the direct, positive confrontation and lasts about three to five seconds.

What is the purpose of the behavioral pause?

To evaluate the suspect’s initial reaction to the direct, positive confrontation.

Actions after a behavioral pause from a guilty suspect?

Look at the floor, avoid eye contact, shifting posture, crossing legs, brushing clothing, slouching in chair, or moving the chair away.

Actions after a behavioral pause from an innocent suspect?

May look truly offended and may attempt to stop the false accusations.

Transition Statement

Statement that offers a reason for the interrogation other than eliciting a confession.

Examples of a transition statement

Comment on the suspect’s redeeming qualities

Explain that the only unanswered question is why the suspect committed the crime.

Explain that you need to find out what kind of person the suspect is

Explain that you need to stablish the extent or frequency of the suspect’s involvement.

Theme

A monologue presented by the interrogator in which reasons and excuses are offered that will serve to psychologically justify or minimize the moral seriousness of the suspect’s criminal behavior.

What do interrogation themes reinforce?

the suspects own rationalizations and justifications for committing the crime.

What should you NOT remind the suspect of?

legal consequences

What would the threatening approach invoke?

A fight or flight response

What is the most effective attitude to have?

One that reveals a calm confidence, a patient display of a vital, intense interest to learn the truth, and an understanding, considerate, and sympathetic feeling toward the suspect.

Third-person theme

A real or fictitious event about the interrogator, friend, or other case depicting a similar type of crime and the extenuating circumstances that led to that act.

Denial

A statement or action that contradicts or refuses to accept the truthfulness of an allegation

What is the primary goal of Handling Denials?

Discouraging the suspect from engaging in unnecessary denials, which distract from the investigator’s theme and subsequent efforts to persuade the suspect to tell the truth.

A weak denial should be…

ignored by the investigator.

When there is a strong denial…

investigator should reassert confidence in the suspect’s guilt

Three primary objectives with respect to handling denials

Anticipate denials before they are voiced

Discourage weak denials from being voiced

Evaluate denials that are voiced.

Interruption gesture

Universally recognized social signal often employed by deceptive suspects to let a speaker know, “Hey, it’s my turn to talk.”

Friendly/unfriendly act

Act played out by one or two investigators that accentuates sympathetic characteristics after the suspect is verbally attacked, in order to get the suspect to truthfully answer questions about the case.

Permission phrase

Phrase used to ask permission that often precedes a deceptive denial “I understand what you’re saying but…”

Absolute declaration

A vehicle by which the investigator sidesteps the objection. It actually does not mean anything, but it creates the impression that the investigator is encourage by the suspect’s statement.

Emotional objection

“I’d be too scared to do something like that”

“I loved her”

“I like my job”

Factual objection

“I don’t even own a gun”

“I wasn’t even there that day”

“I don’t even know that combination”

Introductory phrase

Phrase used to prelude to the voicing of an objection

Moral objection

“I wasn’t brought up that way”

“A person who would do that is really sick”

Objection

A statement that is proposed by the suspect as an excuse or reason why the accusation is fake.

Psychological withdrawal

Emotional detachment from a situation, including the tendency to abandon verbal efforts and avoid eye contact

Rhetorical question

Question posed that does not require a response, but that is used to encourage the suspect to make internal decisions that either agree or disagree with the stated principle.

Visual aid

Item referenced or produced in order to attract the suspect’s visual attention toward the investigator’s statements.

Manipulative crying

Crying as a ploy or as a final, yet insincere, effort to gain sympathy.

Resignation

Point at which the suspect is mentally debating whether or not to tell the truth

Alternative question

A question that offers the suspect two incrimination choices concerning some aspect of the crime.

Detail question

A question that is based on where, when, or how of an act or event pertinent to the crime under investigation, but yet is removed in point of time or place from the main occurrence itself.

Leading question

A question phrased in such a way as to expect agreement.

Negative supporting statement

Statement that paints a disturbing picture of the suspect if the negative alternative is true.

Positive supporting statement

A statement discussing the desirable side of the alternative question designed to encourage the suspect to select that side.

Corroborative information

Facts that would be known only by the guilty person

Independent corroboration

information about a crime learned from the suspect’s confession that is verified as true after the confession

Oral confession

A confession that is expressed verbally

Statement of reinforcement

Statement that encourages the suspect to continue beyond the acceptance of an alternative and commit himself to a discussion of the details of the crime.

Witness’s confirmatory questions

Questions posed by the witness to have the suspect actually verbalize to the witness what has already been told to the investigator

Personal history question

Question calling for answers known only to the offender.