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INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES
Interviewing can be defined in a variety of ways. The definition can be as simplistic as the "task of gathering information" or "a fac...
I discovered this online. The information is very interesting that you may find useful to you. Just click on the link to read it entirely.
INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES
Interviewing can be defined in a variety of ways. The definition can be as simplistic as the "task of gathering information" or "a face-to-face discussion between two people, directed toward some specific purpose." It is also defined as the complex "process of dyadic communication with a predetermined and serious purpose designed to interchange behavior through the asking and answering of questions." Whatever definition you choose, one factor remains constant: Interviewing is a skill that can be learned, polished, and improved through practice. An important skill is developed when we learn how to analyze a situation, determine what alternatives exist, and then make a choice as to how to proceed. It is through knowledge that we can repeat successes and avoid failures.
Investigative interviewing involves an objective search for the truth. The investigator must first be aware of his own personal strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself the following:
What people skills have I developed?
What personal qualities do I possess which will aid me in my
quest for the truth?
What is my attitude?
Do I use my authority judiciously, or do I approach
interviewees as an authoritarian?
Am I able to consciously use my abilities and skills as
needed within the interview to reach my objective?
Do I have ten years of xperience or one year of experience
repeated ten times?
The people you will be interviewing can be categorized into the following three broad categories: victims, witnesses, and suspects. They will exhibit varying degrees of cooperation, reluctance, and hostility. Information gathered through interviewing is critical to the successful completion of your investigation. Focus on skill development in the age-old art of persuasion. Such skills will assist you in fostering a greater degree of cooperation with lesser degrees of reluctance and hostility. No one has to talk to you; therefore, your mission is to persuade or "sell" them to do so. Your ability to "set the stage" through the use of verbal, nonverbal, symbolic, and written communication to affect the interviewee's perceptions and thus to bring about desired changes in ways of thinking, feeling, and/or acting, is critical to the development of effective interviewing skills.
The purpose of interviewing in the law enforcement environment is to gather information. The interviewing process is a dynamic, ever-changing interaction, with many variables operating with, and acting upon, one another. To understand and effectively employ this process, the investigator must first examine the interview as a unique form of interpersonal communication.
THE FIVE PHASES OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVIEW
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Introduction - Identify yourself, your partner, and the interviewee; state the purpose for the interview. As a general rule, do not lie.
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Rapport - Create an atmosphere of trust. There is a two-fold purpose for this; it conditions people to talk to you, and it provides a chance for you to establish a nonverbal standard.
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Questions - Begin initial interviews with a "Tell me..." instruction. Then use the six "w's" to obtain additional information. We usually go from general to specific questioning.
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Summary - Summarize what the person has said. This provides you an opportunity to check for accuracy, and provides the person an opportunity to add new information that comes to mind as you review. In a two-interviewer situation, the Secondary interviewer is responsible for this.
< Close - Be certain to thank people for talking with you. In
addition, provide them with a way to contact you and request a way for you to make further contact with them. (A business card is a handy tool for this.).
