NCJ Number
212741
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 72 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 70-74,76
Date Published
December 2005
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Based on interviews with 45 convicted child molesters, both men and women, this article presents the components of an interview strategy most likely to gain a confession from a child molester.
Abstract
The research found that many sex offenders will confess to the police investigator who establishes trust, understanding, and the feeling that he/she can and will help them with their problems. This rapport is based, in part, on how trustworthy the interviewer appears to be, how qualified and professional the interviewer seems to be, and the type of person the interviewer seems to be. This type of bond is most likely to occur between a child molester and an interviewer who understands the mind and psychology of a child molester. Molesters use distorted thinking to rationalize and justify their crimes, to make their own needs most important, and to minimize their behavior. There is no standardized interviewing formula in dealing with child molesters. The interviewing strategy must evolve from the interviewer's training in and experience with the distorted thinking, sexual addiction, and addiction cycle of the particular person being interviewed. An investigator establishes credibility with the offender by showing an understanding of human sexuality and deviance in a nonthreatening, nonjudgmental way that displays empathy for the offender and his/her situation. In the course of the research, the most consistent reason given by the offenders for why they confessed their crime was the immediate and constant respect shown them by the interviewer. In some cases, the interviewer engaged in nonthreatening, nonspecific, noncrime-related conversation. Another reason for confessing was the "ease of conversation" and a perception that the interviewer quickly established trust and understanding.