Investigator Tips
Interrogation
The Danger of Threatening Inevitable Consequences During an Interrogation
Mar 01, 2011
A recent Frontline episode dealt with interrogation techniques and false confessions.1 The presented case involved the 1997 rape and murder of Michelle Bosko from Norfolk, VA. The following is a synopsis of...
Investigating Attention- Motivated Fabricated Crimes
Nov 01, 2010
Every year there are a dozen or so incidents involving fabricated crimes that make national headlines because the motive behind the reported crime fascinates the general public. Recently a woman in...
Documenting Field Confessions
Jul 01, 2010
Documenting Field Confessions[i]
Following a successful interrogation the investigator will convert the oral confession to a court admissible document. This document may be handwritten by the suspect, a...
The Psychopathic Suspect
Mar 01, 2009
The Psychopathic Suspect
March-April, 2009
Imagine what it would be like to make everyday decisions without caring how your choices affected others and to live...
Selling a Suspect on the Benefits of Confessing
Nov 01, 2008
As a general guideline, an investigator should not address consequences during an interrogation. In fact, the investigator goes to great length to avoid discussing any possible consequences the suspect faces if...
The Use of Visual Aids During an Interview or Interrogation
Jul 01, 2008
Investigators rely extensively on their verbal communication skills to elicit information during an interview and to persuade a suspect to tell the truth during an interrogation. It is often beneficial to reinforce...
Interrogation Procedures: Promises of Leniency
Nov 01, 2007
Interrogation Procedures: Promises of Leniency
For a confession to be admissible as evidence it must not only be trustworthy, but also voluntary. The test...
Proper Techniques for Witnessing A Confession
Sep 01, 2007
No investigator wants to have his testimony questioned because it is his word against the defendant's. It is precisely for this reason that the investigator needs to have a witness verify...
Electronically Recorded Confessions
Mar 01, 2007
The topic of electronically recording interviews and interrogations comes up frequently during our seminars. Clearly, there is a national trend in which through state court decisions or legislative efforts police officers...
The Use of Rationalization During an Interrogation Theme
Jan 01, 2007
Two conditions must be satisfied before a person decides to commit a crime. The first is that the individual must believe that he or she will not...
The Significance of Identifying Precipitators during a Criminal Investigation
Jan 01, 2006
The first step of any criminal investigation is factual analysis. This describes the process of collecting and analyzing information and evidence surrounding a crime. One of the goals of factual...
Responding to a Suspect’s Request to See Evidence During an Interrogation
Nov 01, 2005
It is rare to conduct an interrogation under circumstances where the investigator has absolute proof of the suspect's guilt. At the outset of most interrogations there is merely circumstantial...
The Significance of Specific Denials During Interviews and Interrogations
Oct 01, 2005
Recently, I reviewed a videotaped interview of an 17-year-old suspect who was being questioned about starting a fire that burned down his parent's home. During the interview the investigator asked...
Electronic Recording of Interviews and Interrogations
Jun 01, 2005
It has long been recognized that a confession is the strongest piece of evidence a prosecutor can produce against a defendant in a court of law. Consequently, any competent defense attorney will...
Use Caution When Expressing the Urgency for a Suspect to Confess
May 01, 2005
It is human nature to put off unpleasant decisions. Being in my 50's, I know that I need to eventually get long-term care insurance. Even though I fully intend to...
A Review of Legal Issues Concerning Trickery and Deceit During an Interrogation
Feb 01, 2005
A number of recent cases involving an investigator's use of trickery and deceit during an interrogation have caused problems in the subsequent trial. In some of these cases the confession was...
Selecting the Proper Alternative Question
Sep 01, 2004
The Reid Technique of interrogation relies on two important underlying psychological principles. The first is that it is much easier for a person to tell the truth if that person...
The Importance of Accurate Corroboration within a Confession
Aug 01, 2004
The Importance of Accurate Corroboration within a Confession
Of all possible evidence presented against a defendant at trial, a confession is afforded the most weight. Because of this, we have...
Lying to a Suspect: How Far Can an Investigator Go?
Jun 01, 2004
During the course of an investigation an investigator often must rely on duplicity and pretense in an effort to develop evidence against the guilty suspect. Common examples include the use...
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...