dic 4

Interviews and interrogations are essential to investigations. The interview is designed to collect information about what transpired at a crime scene and in the ensuing investigation. Interview subjects include victims and witnesses who were at the crime scene, in proximity to the crime scene, or somehow tied to the crime. In interviews, witnesses describe what they saw, explain physical evidence, and identify suspects. The interviewer's goal is to pull as much information as possible from witnesses. Both victims and witnesses capture a range of sensory information when involved in crimes. What they ultimately tell the interviewer depends on internal and external motivators and psychological factors. Note, as well, potential interview subjects do not have to talk and often choose not to. Frequently, interviewees and potential interviewees become suspects.

After interviews are conducted, the interrogation process begins. The interrogation process is geared towards obtaining confessions from the guilty. With a suspect in the interrogation room, the successful interrogator keeps a close eye on the suspect’s verbal signals and kinesics (body language), asks probing questions, analyzes statements and confessions, and knows how to deal with deception. Interrogators set aside their true feelings and convince suspects to reveal their secret—the commission of a criminal act—despite the fact that the interrogator is a police officer. Focus on the definitions and objectives of interviews and investigations. Consider the type of information that makes for substantial or unsubstantial interview or interrogation revelations.Review the O.J. Simpson interrogation transcript. Consider the quality of the information obtained from this interrogation.Think about two ways that you would have conducted the O.J. Simpson interrogation differently, based on interrogation lessons and tactics that you reviewed in the text.