Richard Leo's Boilerplate Statement Regarding Police Interrogation Practices

Jun 26, 2024

The following is the "boilerplate" position taken from various statements, publications and testimony of Richard Leo regarding police interrogation practices.

The Social Psychology of Police Interrogation

Police interrogation is a...

The Truth About the Research Social Psychologists Use as the Basis for Testimony Regarding False and/or Coerced Confessions

Mar 06, 2023

The Truth About the Research Social Psychologists Use as the Basis for Testimony regarding False and/or Coerced Confessions

Social Psychologists, Defense Attorneys, Academicians, and Law Enforcement interrogation critics oftentimes refer to research...

Benefits of Complimenting a Suspect During the Interrogation

Jan 15, 2023

There are many elements that lead to a successful interrogation. One such element is the level of rapport and trust the investigator can develop with the suspect. One way to develop rapport...

Interrogation and Confession Judicial Decisions Organized by Subject Matter

Oct 24, 2022

For many years we have published on our website and through our newsletters legal updates of cases which address relevant interview and interrogation issues. In this 504 page document we have attempted...

Investigator’s Response to a Subject’s Challenges During Interviews and Interrogations

Oct 14, 2022

This article is a follow-up to last month’s “Investigator Tip” which discussed how an investigator’s own bearing and demeanor may affect the outcome of an investigative interview or interrogation. This article expands...

Investigators' Demeanor During Interviews and Interrogations

Aug 10, 2022

This article explores how an investigator's own bearing and emotional self-control promote mutuality of respect with even the toughest of subjects and enhance the productivity of every questioning session.

The ability...

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

Apr 25, 2022

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

Since 1947 John E. Reid and Associates has been conducting investigative interviews and when appropriate, interrogations.

Since the mid 1970's we...

Resistance to Elicitation and Interrogation

Mar 25, 2022

APA Magazine, January/February, 2022, Vol. 55.1; reprint courtesy of American Polygraph Association, copyright reserved

In order to maintain their cover, particularly during deployment, Intelligence Officers and Special Operations Forces must always be...

The Pre-employment Interview: Creating an Environment Conducive to Truth Telling

Feb 09, 2022

In our November/December Investigator Tip, “The Biggest Mistake We Make When Interviewing Job Applicants,” we discussed the most effective way to develop an accurate reconstruction of an applicant’s work history, including any...

Conducting Effective Interviews and Interrogations

Jan 26, 2022

The following are guidelines, procedures and best practices that all investigators should follow:

[Absent a life-saving circumstance conduct an interview before an interrogation.]

The Essential Elements of the Investigative Interview

Over 30 Free Reid Video Presentations

Jan 24, 2022

Below you will find over 30 helpful video tips on our YouTube page now organized in 6 Playlists:

1. Who are We and What is The Reid Technique

The Biggest Mistake We Make When Interviewing Job Applicants

Nov 22, 2021

In today's environment we are all experiencing some difficulty in finding people to staff the open employment positions in our organization. In fact, just recently the Wall Street Journal published an article...

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

Aug 25, 2021

One of the fundamental principles of Theme Development, (Step 2 of the Reid Nine-Steps of Interrogation), is to shift the blame for the suspect’s criminal behavior to someone or something other than...

Do Not Tell the Subject What You Know

Jun 25, 2021

One of the most important principles of effective interviewing is to not tell the subject what you know about the details of the case, such as the information that you have developed...

False Confessions: The Issues to be Considered

Jun 01, 2021

False Confessions – The Issues to be Considered

In this document we discuss the primary causes of and contributing factors to false confessions, and the Best Practices to follow to...

Understanding the Criminal Mind

Mar 31, 2021

Understanding The Criminal Mind

The courts have demonstrated an understanding that there must be a balance between a criminal suspect’s desire to avoid punishment for the crimes they commit by denying...

Parental Abuse Interviews in Human Trafficking Investigations

Feb 03, 2021

Among the interviewing challenges faced by human trafficking investigators is the issue of parental abuse of a trafficking victim. How does an investigator approach this topic?

When suspicion arises that the...

The Use of the Baiting Technique

Jan 11, 2021

November / December 2020

(Please Note: If you wish to print and share an Investigator Tip with your colleagues, the John E. Reid 'credit and permission' statement following the article...

25 Reid Video Tips

Jan 11, 2021

September October 2020 Investigator Tip

The September/October 2020 Investigator Tip provides you with links to 25 brief video presentations from our YouTube channel - The Reid Technique Tips, that...

The foundation for all efffective interrogation techniques - projection and rationalization

Jan 11, 2021

As a youngster we have all had the experience of hitting one of our siblings, and then when questioned by our parents we justified our actions by saying, “he hit me first.”...

What questions should I ask during the investigative interview?

May 26, 2020

What questions should I ask during the investigative interview?

In an effort to assist investigators in determining the type of investigative and behavior provoking questions to ask during an interview...