An Overview of the Interview and Interrogation Process

This chapter provides a more in-depth understanding of the interview and interrogation process through an overview of important features, such as interviewer demeanor, establishing rapport, differentiating between interviewing and interrogating, observing behavior, establishing a behavioral norm, the five basic types of lies, preparation and room setting, and interviewer appearance and behavior. The chapter also takes a closer look at conducting the interview, selling the interview, statement analysis, types of interviews (fact gathering, lifestyle interviews, cognitive interviewing, and behavioral interviewing), common interview errors, and the use of diagrams. The chapter then explores details of the interrogation process, such as preparation, the most common hurdles to a person’s decision to confess, rationalization, types of denials, methods of interrogation (factual, classic emotional, the Wicklander-Zulawski Non-Confrontational Method ® , backing out), and the importance of documenting the confession or interview.