Originally written for the ILEETA Journal Learning to interview effectively is key for new detectives Despite the many advances in forensic science, suspect interviews remain a vital element of a criminal investigation and for good reason. Good interviews can help to identify additional suspects, identify potential witnesses, locate additional evidence and should the case go to court, the suspects statements to investigators will be one of the key pieces of evidence being evaluated by the jury as they make their determination as to innocence or guilt. Learning to effectively interview suspects should be the goal of any new investigator. With that in mind, the best place for new detectives to start is by focusing on the three basic but key elements of effective interviewing. RESPECT First and foremost is showing respect for the other person. No one, not even the worst of the worst criminals enjoys being disrespected or treated like garbage. Treating someone poorly is the quickest way to shut them down, ruining your chances of gaining valuable information. On the other hand, treating the person with a basic level of respect demonstrates that you see them as a fellow human being, one who may have made a horrible mistake, but still a fellow human being. This increases your chances of them cooperating. Remember that the respect needs to be genuine. The offender knows that you have a job to do, pretending to be his friend or promising that everything is going to be okay is going to come off as manipulation, which isn’t going to help get them talking. Showing respect to people who have committed heinous crimes can be difficult but its necessary if you want to have a successful interview. If nothing else, fake it until you make it. EMPATHY Secondly, is empathy for the person you’re interviewing. If someone is being untruthful or not forthcoming for you, they have a reason for not doing so. Try looking at the problem from their perspective, it may help to identify what is stopping them from telling you everything. In a recent interview I did with a suspected child rapist, he repeatedly called himself a monster as he started to break down. I told him that it was clear he had committed a monstrous act but that a monster would never show remorse or take responsibility for their actions. He demeanor changed slightly at which time he said thank you and proceeded to confess to the crime. That simple statement of empathy towards him was the key to getting him to talk to me about what he had done. PATIENCE Finally, remember to be patient. With suspect interviews, you suspect that the person in front of you has committed a crime. They have agreed to speak with you, so you are off to a good start, but suspects are unlikely to volunteer to be interviewed so that they can confess what they have done. More then likely they are looking to see how strong the case is and/or convince you of their innocence. The guilty suspect will often sit down for the interview with a concocted story that they plan on selling you in hopes of avoiding any consequences for their actions. Be patient and let them tell you the story. Encourage them to give lots of details without interjecting your own commentary. The more details they give, the more details you can follow up on later to verify their story. Furthermore, if they are being completely untruthful, the more details they provide, the higher their house of cards becomes. Once you have patiently let them tell you their entire story, now is the time to start asking questions. Once the realize that their story is not holding up under some simple scrutiny, you will be in a stronger position to persuade them to be truthful with you. To end with, suspect interviews are a skill like any other skill. You get better with practice, training and research. All investigators whether new or seasoned should constantly be looking to improve their interview skills by regularly attending training, reading as much as you can and gaining experience by conducting interviews as often as possible. AuthorJim Twardesky is a veteran police detective and adjunct instructor for the Macomb Public Service Institute. He offers training on investigating child abuse and sex crimes, having lectured regularly on these topics since 2017.
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