A Description of the Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing and Interrogation

Written By: Joseph P. Buckley
Nov 02, 2025

Over the years we have published numerous Investigator Tips and What's New entries on our website detailing the procedures, processes and safeguards of the Reid Technique for both the Investigative Interview process and the Interrogation process.

In this Investigator Tip will list the majority of those entries that have been published on our website as of 11/2/25 for easier and more immediate access and reference. Undoubtedly, there will be some repetitions throughout the various entries.

The Essential Elements of the Reid Technique: A Fact Sheet

The Investigator's Workbook: Principles of Practice - How to Conduct Proper Interviews and Interrogations

The Investigator's Notebook

The Difference Between Research and Reality: Behavior Symptom Analysis

Best Practices That Investigators Should Follow To Prevent False Confessions

Conducting the Investigation

Note Taking Guidelines During the Investigative Interview and the Interrogation

The Reid Technique: Science-Based Interviewing

Why the Reid Technique is so Successful

The Reid Technique is a Non-confrontational, Non-accusatory Process

The Reid Behavior Analysis Interview: Part 1: Do the Case Facts and Evidence Support the Subject's Story? Part 2: The Interview Structure and the Value of Behavior Symptom Analysis

Reid Policy on the Use of Deception During an Interrogation

The Reid Technique: International Research and the Value of Behavior Symptom Analysis

Investigators' Demeanor During Interviews and Interrogations

Principles of Practice: How to Conduct Proper Investigative Interviews and Interrogations

Conducting Effective Interviews and Interrogations

Blame the Suspect’s Perception of the Victim’s Actions and Behavior in Sexual Assault Interrogations

Do Not Tell the Subject What You Know

False Confessions: The Issues to be Considered

Understanding the Criminal Mind

Parental Abuse Interviews in Human Trafficking Investigations

The Use of the Baiting Technique

The foundation for all effective interrogation techniques - projection and rationalization

What questions should I ask during the investigative interview?

Telephone Interviewing Techniques Part One

Telephone Interviewing Techniques Part Two

Personality Disorders

What Questions Should be Asked to Determine the Voluntariness and Validity of a Subject’s Confession?

The Non-Confrontational Approach

Direct questioning and its role in counterintelligence investigations

The Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI)

A Description of The Reid Technique

Gang Crime Interrogation

Human Trafficking Investigations: Interrogation Themes That Get Confessions

The Value of Behavior Provoking Questions - A Case Study

What Words Should I Use When I Start Positive Persuasion?

Factual Analysis

The Fundamental Foundation of THE REID TECHNIQUE OF INTERROGATION®: Empathy and Understanding

Cognitive Interviewing

Using Open-ended Questions During the Investigative Interview (Part 1)

Using Open-ended Questions During the Investigative Interview (Part 2)

Ten Do’s and Don't s for Obtaining a Reliable Confession

Positive Persuasion - Motivating the Subject to Tell the Truth

When Co-Offenders are Being Interrogated Consider "Playing One Against the Other"

There is No Behavior Unique to Lying

Interrogation Themes: Five Strategies for Selecting Interrogation Themes

Making a Murderer: THE REID TECHNIQUE® and Juvenile Interrogations

Legal Cases Sorted by Category

The Reid Technique: A Position Paper

Empathy Guides the Investigator to the Truth

Interrogation Tactics Involving a Written Report

The Importance of Evaluating Consequences

Leaving The Room During an Interrogation

The Reid Behavior Analysis Interview

Addressing the Suspect's Behavior

The Bait Question in the Age of Computer Technology

The Use of Third Person Theme

A Quick Guide to Best Practices for THE REID NINE STEPS OF INTERROGATION®

Establishing Rapport with a Suspect

Having A Third Person in the Interview Room

Evaluating Admissions Against Self-Interest

The Feasibility of an Analytic Assessment to Identify False Confessions

Interview Before Interrogating

Investigating Issues of Intent

The Importance of Context Within Behavior Symptom Analysis

Interviewing Witnesses

The Danger of Threatening Inevitable Consequences During an Interrogation

Research Review: The lie, the Bluff and False Confessions

Investigating Attention- Motivated Fabricated Crimes

Documenting Field Confessions

Designing an Interview/Interrogation Room

The Esteem-Motivated Offender

Civil Liabilities Associated With False Confessions

Motives For False Confessions

Behavior Symptom Analysis During Roadside Interviews

The Psychopathic Suspect

Evaluating One-On-One Allegations

Are you a good listener?

Proper Techniques for Witnessing A Confession

The Role of a Subject's Attitudes in the Detection of Deception

Catching A Suspect In A Lie: Not Always A Symptom Of Guilt

The Use of Rationalization During an Interrogation Theme

Guarding Against Claims of False Imprisonment

The Use of an Interpreter During an Interview


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