FPSYC3400: Investigative Interviewing: Witnesses & Suspects (Definition)

Lecture 11

Geiselman & Fisher: The Cognitive Interview (CI)

žA method of interviewing witnesses to enhance the correct recall of information

ž

žCognitive psychology roots

The Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI)

to obtain the interviewee’s recollection of the events of interest with the aim of being given the fullest possible account. The witness is asked to think back and mentally relive events, initiallywith minimum interference from the interviewer. An interactive practicalexamination of a case scenario highlighting key elements of thePEACE approach.

Mental Context Reinstatement

surroundings, emotions & thoughts

Interview

• Non-accusatory

• Dialogue –question and answer format

• Goals

  • Elicit investigative and behavioural information

  • Assess the subject’s truthfulness

  • Profile the subject for possible interrogation

• Note-taking following each response

Interrogation

• Accusatory

• Monologue – discourage the suspect from talking until ready to tell the truth

• Goals

  • Elicit the truth

  • Obtain a court-admissible confession if it is believed that the suspect is guilty

• No note-taking until after the suspect has told the truth

Reid Technique

A method of questioning subjects to try to assess their credibility and to extract confessions of guilt from a suspect

• Under this technique, interrogation is an accusatory process in which the investigator tells the suspect that there is not doubt as to his or her guilt

  • Guilt-presumptive process

Reid Technique - Maximization

• Inflate perceived seriousness of crime

• Accusation, confrontation

• Ex: “You know what you did was inexcusable. I've never seen such an open and shut case. And I'll tell you something else. The victim was well liked in this area, and people are extremely upset and want answers.”

Reid Technique - Minimization

• Minimizing the moral seriousness of the offense or minimizing the suspect’s blameworthiness

• Face-saving excuses, appeals to self-interest, shifting blame

• Ex: “You’re not a bad person. What I’d guess is that you’re a good guy who needed some extra money and just made a mistake. And I can understand that.”

PEACE Model

• Investigative interview

• Information gathering

• Open-mindedness

Coerced-compliant Confession

coercive interrogation tactics

Voluntary Confesion

no prompting by the police