NCJ Number
176256
Date Published
1997
Length
272 pages
Annotation
This book explains the principles and practical aspects of investigative interviewing using affective interviewing techniques that take into account and make primary the emotions and feelings of the person being interviewed and that encourage the interviewer to behave with sensitivity and perception to elicit information without coercion.
Abstract
The text is intended for use in training of police recruits and experienced police officers and as a guide for judges, paralegals, security professionals, and private investigators. The author applies a theory of human need to interviewing and explains the needs for safety and security, loving and belonging, self-actualization and esteem, and authority and power. The text also explains the motives and signs of deception, the importance of a positive attitude in preparing for and conducting an interview, and the nature and application of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Additional sections focus on the tactical concepts of active listening, nonverbal active listening, and methods of establishing rapport; tactics to use when seeking a confession; evidence presentation; report writing; and public and private investigations. Further sections detail each step in the interview process, including preparation, contact, evaluation, and closure; issues related to the setting, location, intensity, and approach in the interview; question formulation and questioning techniques; and the application of the techniques in a case involving stolen traveler's checks. Figures, checklists, chapter review questions and reference lists, index, and 128 references