NCJ Number
49946
Date Published
1978
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THOROUGH OFFICER PREPARATION AND A STRUCTURED APPROACH ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWING OF SUSPECTS.
Abstract
IN ORDER FOR POLICE OFFICERS TO SUCCESSFULLY INTERVIEW CRIMINAL SUSPECTS, THE OFFICERS SHOULD FIRST READ ALL CASE REPORTS AND FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH ALL AVAILABLE INFORMATION RELATING TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME, INCLUDING EVIDENCE AND ANY EARLIER STATEMENTS MADE BY THE SUSPECTS. PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUSPECT SHOULD BE OBTAINED WHENEVER POSSIBLE. SUCH INFORMATION IS USED TO EVALUATE THE SUSPECT'S PERSONALITY FOR PURPOSES OF DETERMINING THE BEST INTERROGATION STRATEGY TO EMPLOY. IDEALLY, INTERROGATIONS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A SPECIALLY DESIGNED SOUNDPROOF ROOM WHICH IS RESERVED FOR INTERROGATION PURPOSES ONLY. THE ROOM SHOULD BE WELL-LIT BUT SHOULD NOT HAVE GLARING LIGHTS. INTERRUPTIONS AND DISTRACTIONS SHOULD BE KEPT TO A MINIMUM. AN INTERROGATION IS CONDUCTED TYPICALLY BY TWO OFFICERS, ONE OF WHOM ACTS PRIMARILY AS AN ASSISTANT AND A WITNESS TO STATEMENTS MADE BY THE SUSPECT. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF INTERROGATION STYLES AND TECHNIQUES WHICH MAY BE USED DEPENDING UPON THE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE, THE ATTITUDE OF THE SUSPECT, AND OTHER FACTORS. THE INTERROGATOR SHOULD ALWAYS PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF THE SUSPECT SINCE NONVERBAL CUES MAY SIGNAL WHEN A SUSPECT IS REACHING AN EMOTIONAL PEAK AND IS LIKELY TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONING. STATEMENTS MADE BY THE SUSPECT MAY BE RECORDED OR TAKEN DOWN IN WRITING. DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING HOW TO TAKE DOWN SUCH STATEMENTS, HOW TO TAPE RECORD STATEMENTS, AND HOW TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS AND INTERROGATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW ARE PROVIDED. A SAMPLE FORM FOR WRITTEN STATEMENTS IS INCLUDED. (MPK)