Investigator Tips
Current Investigator Tip
What Do False Confession Experts Say in Their Reports?
Nov 28, 2023
The following represents the type of observations, assessments and opinions Dr. Richard Leo (and other social psychologists) offer/include in their reports and testimony when they are acting on behalf of the defendant...
Previous Tips
The Reid Technique: A Position Paper
May 01, 2015
The Reid Technique: A Position Paper
Content
Core PrinciplesBest PracticesResponses to Criticisms The Courts’ View of False Confession ExpertsThe Courts’ View of the Reid TechniqueThe Best Way to Guard Against False...Empathy Guides the Investigator to the Truth
Mar 01, 2015
"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will...
Interrogation Tactics Involving a Written Report
Jan 01, 2015
The interrogation of a criminal suspect is designed to persuade a suspect, who is believed to be guilty of a crime, to tell the truth. To be effective, the investigator's persuasive arguments...
The Importance of Evaluating Consequences
Nov 01, 2014
During the course of an investigation, and especially at the interview stage, there are a number of questions the investigator would like to answer about the suspect and the crime he may...
Leaving The Room During an Interrogation
Sep 01, 2014
We see it all the time on television cop shows. The investigator is interrogating a suspect and the suspect offers a strong denial. The investigator gets out of his chair and says...
The Reid Behavior Analysis Interview
Jul 01, 2014
The Reid Behavior Analysis Interview
A recent article offered the following description of the Reid Behavior Analysis Interview, "The purpose of the interview is to provide a means by which investigators...
An Update on the Use of Deceptive Practices During Interrogation
May 01, 2014
An Update on the Use of Deceptive Practices During Interrogation
The landmark US Supreme Court decision addressing deceptive practices during an interrogation is Frazier v. Cupp (1969). In Frazier, the Court upheld...
Research Reveals Insight on Juvenile Interrogations and Confessions
Mar 01, 2014
It is well accepted that juvenile suspects are more susceptible to falsely confess than adult suspects. This has been documented by a number of high profile cases such as the attack of...
Addressing the Suspect's Behavior
Jan 01, 2014
It is human nature to cite a person's behavior as evidence to support some underlying premise. It is an enticing argument to state that because one exhibits an observable behavior it is...
The Bait Question in the Age of Computer Technology
Nov 01, 2013
The bait question is one of the oldest behavior provoking questions. It is a specialized question designed to introduce the possibility of incriminating evidence during an interview in an effort to entice...
The Use of Third Person Themes
Sep 01, 2013
I have had the honor of training many students during their studies at Reid College. Following graduation most of them went on to have very successful careers in the private sector, law...
A Quick Guide to Best Practices for THE REID NINE STEPS OF INTERROGATION®
Jul 01, 2013
Within any established procedure (medical, therapeutic, manufacturing, education, engineering, etc.) there are optimum or ideal conditions under which the probability of success is maximized. These optimum procedures are called "best practices." Because...
Establishing Rapport with a Suspect
May 20, 2013
We all know someone whom we respect and admire. It may be a teacher, coach, pastor, scout master, friend or parent. Assume that we committed a crime of some sort and this...
Having A Third Person in the Interview Room
Mar 05, 2013
Having A Third Person in the Interview Room
Privacy is considered the single most important psychological factor contributing to the success of an interview or interrogation. This is something we each...
Evaluating Admissions Against Self-Interest
Jan 15, 2013
It is not uncommon for suspects to make admissions against self-interest during an interview. They may acknowledge being in the area of the crime, having a motive to commit the crime, having...
The Feasibility of an Analytic Assessment to Identify False Confessions
Nov 01, 2012
The medical, psychiatric and therapy communities have a long history of using diagnostic "checklists" to evaluate the presence or absence of physiological or mental disease or degree of impairment. These analytic assessments...
Interview Before Interrogating
Sep 01, 2012
Throughout our seminars and textbooks The Reid Technique emphasizes the distinction between interviewing and interrogating, and the importance of conducting a non-accusatory interview before an accusatory interrogation. A recent legal decision reinforces...
Investigating Issues of Intent
Jul 01, 2012
Two recent news events have centered around a person's intentions. The first was the shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. The second was a White house correspondent named Neil Munro who...
To Lie or Not to Lie: The Use of Deception During an Interrogation
May 01, 2012
If the agents involved in the recent Colombia incident are interrogated, should the investigators tell them they have evidence that they don't really have? It depends on a number of considerations.
The Importance of Context Within Behavior Symptom Analysis
Mar 01, 2012
Consider the following written note left for my son: "Ryan, call Mom's cell." If the note was written this year, he would dial her mobile phone number. However, if the note was...