Evaluating the Suspect Who Accepts Some Responsibility for the Crime

Aug 01, 2005

During the course of interviewing a suspect who is guilty of committing a crime it is not uncommon for the suspect to acknowledge some level of responsibility for committing the...

Do You Invite People to Lie to You?

Apr 01, 2005

No one wants people to lie to them. Yet, I have encountered numerous parents, teachers and investigators who regularly invite deceptive answers from people they question. I am certain they do not...

Developing an Interview Strategy

Mar 01, 2005

Some interviews are free-flowing and spontaneous. Often, these interviews are conducted in an uncontrolled environment such as a street corner, an employee's office or over the telephone. Because the person...

Consideration For an Investigator's Attire

Jan 01, 2005

The very first impression a subject forms of an investigator will be based on physical observations -- not only gender, race and body type, but also attire. The desired perception...

Issues to Consider Regarding Possible Suicidal Suspects

Nov 01, 2004

It was about 4:00 in the afternoon when one of our regular clients called and requested an "emergency" polygraph examination for a 19-year-old female employee they suspected was stealing jewelry from...

Testifying on a Suspect's Behavior Symptoms

Oct 01, 2004

Recently, the Washington Supreme Court reversed a rape conviction partially because the trial court admitted an investigator's testimony that the defendant's verbal and nonverbal behavior symptoms were indicative of guilt...

Interviewing Elderly Subjects

Jul 01, 2004

Interviewing techniques presented in textbooks or during seminars generally assume that the person being interviewed is an emotionally healthy and mature individual with a normal IQ. Twenty-five years ago, when...

Investigating Possible Fabricated Claims

May 01, 2004

A recent case involving a University of Wisconsin student who falsely claimed that she was abducted highlights some important characteristics of these investigations. This particular case quickly achieved national attention...

Neurolinguistic Evaluation

May 01, 2003

Neurolinguistic Evaluation

Principles

The outer cortex of the human brain is divided into left and right hemispheres. When performing different activities, one hemisphere dominates over the other. In 80%...

Conducting An Exit Interview

Jun 01, 2002

When an employee gives his two week notice to leave a company, the typical response centers around how to find a replacement for that person. What is often overlooked is that the...

Evaluating the Truthfulness of a Reported Sexual Assault

Apr 01, 2002

Wisconsin recently introduced legislation that would prohibit a sexual assault victim from being asked to take a polygraph examination. Many states have already passed such a law. Clearly doubting the veracity of...

The Computerized Voice Stress Analyzer (CVSA)

Mar 01, 2002

Throughout history man has tried to identify a single, unique physiological responses that would only be present when a person lied. In the 1970's a phenomenon known as a vocal micro tremor...

Don't Overlook The Person Who Reported The Crime

Jan 01, 2002

A guideline we teach during our seminars is that the first person interviewed during an investigation should be the individual who reported the crime. The primary reason for this is because that...

Screening New Employees: Part II

Dec 01, 2001

The importance of a face to face interview with a job applicant to evaluate their recent past behavior was emphasized in the last web tip. One reason employers are reluctant to ask...

Screening New Employees: Part I

Nov 01, 2001

Screening New Employees: Part I

In light of the tragic events of September 11th, there is a heightened awareness to properly screen new employees. The terrorists' attack on the WTC...

The Polygraph Technique Part II: Value During an Investigation

Sep 01, 2001

Each year in the United States hundreds of thousands of polygraph examinations are administered. The primary value of the polygraph technique is to eliminate innocent suspects early during an investigation. This greatly...

The Polygraph Technique, Part I: Theory

Aug 01, 2001

The polygraph instrument, erroneously called a 'lie detector', is nothing more than a monitoring device to record different physiological systems. The first polygraph was developed in 1908 by a British Doctor to...

Evaluating Inconsistencies Within an Account

May 01, 2001

It is a common trial strategy for an attorney to attack inconsistencies within testimony offered by a victim, witness, or an investigator. And yet most victims, witnesses and investigators tell the truth...

Creating A Temporary Interviewing Room

Nov 01, 2000

In an ideal world, an interview or interrogation would always be conducted in a room specifically designed for that purpose. Most businesses, however, do not have a room set aside for interviewing...

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION

Aug 01, 2000

It is often impractical for an employer to personally interview every person applying for a particular position. For this reason, most job applicants are initially screened by reviewing a written summary of...