NCJ Number
35217
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 43 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 36 AND 39
Date Published
1976
Length
2 pages
Annotation
AFTER REVIEWING THE SHORTCOMINGS OF EXISTING APPROACHES TO POLICE TRAINING IN INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES, THE AUTHOR OUTLINES CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND SUGGESTS SEVERAL TECHNIQUES FOR INTERROGATION TRAINING.
Abstract
CURRENT TRAINING TECHNIQUES TEND TO FOLLOW TWO EXTREMES: 1) THEY PROVIDE GENERAL AND VAGUE TRAINING NOT SPECIFICALLY APPLICABLE TO THE INTERROGATION SITUATION, OR 2) THEY PROVIDE VERY SPECIFIC STRATEGIES WHICH MAY BE QUESTIONABLE IN LIGHT OF RECENT COURT DECISIONS. THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT EFFECTIVE TRAINING SHOULD ALLOW FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF THE LEARNER, PROVIDE PRACTICE SITUATIONS, AND REINFORCE APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS. A TRAINING COURSE WHICH UTILIZES A SERIES OF SMALL, NARROWLY DEFINED LECTURES (LECTURETTES), CLASS EXERCISES, AND USE OF VIDEOTAPE FOR EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE IS RECOMMENDED. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT EFFECTIVE TRAINING IN INTERROGATION TECHNIQUES MUST PRESENT SPECIFIC COMMUNICATIONS PRINCIPLES WHICH CONFORM TO RELEVANT COURT RULINGS.