Interview technique

1
Interviewing Techniques
National Certified Investigator Inspector
Training Basic Program
ltInstructor Namegt ltAgencygt
2
Session Introduction
3
Learning Objectives

• Upon completion of the session, you will be able
  to
• State the two main goals of an interview
• Identify the personal attributes of the
  successful interviewer
• Identify human relation and interpersonal skills

4
Learning Objectives

• Upon completion of the session, you will be able
  to
• Identify the elements of planning and preparing
  for the interview
• Discuss the in-person interviews versus telephone
  interviews
• List the three steps of the interview

5
Learning Objectives

• Upon completion of the session, you will be able
  to
• State the two interview examination types
• Identify proper and improper questioning
  techniques from a given list of sample interview
  questions
• Identify interview contaminates

6
Session Map
7
Introduction to Interviewing Techniques
8
Importance of Interviewing

• A conversation with a purpose
• Two main goals of interviewing
• Collect information free from bias
• Produce factual and accurate information

9
Attributes of Successful Investigators
10
Personal Attributes

• Honesty, integrity, and objectivity
• Investigators are impartial fact finders only
• Ability to establish rapport
• Done quickly and under many diverse conditions
• Listening
• Spend more time listening than talking

11
Personal Attributes

• Evaluating responses
• What is being said
• How it is being said
• Emotional control
• Maintain professionalism
• Demonstrate self-control while under attack
• Curiosity
• Main job is to garner information

12
Personal Attributes

• Speech
• Use natural speech volume, patterns, and
  vocabulary
• Use a respectful tone
• Display genuine interest when asking questions
• Avoid fillers (example uh and um)
• Avoid jargon and acronyms
• Never use profanity

13
Personal Attributes

• Appearance
• Investigators portray the profession
• Dress professionally, according to agency
  standards
• Ensure equipment is clean and in good repair
• Bearing
• Use good posture both when standing and sitting
• Personal habits and mannerisms
• Keep to a minimum
• Avoid offensive habits and mannerisms

14
Interpersonal Skills

• Professionalism
• Approachability
• Respectfulness
• Sincerity

15
Professionalism

• Always show unbiased and professional conduct
  throughout an investigation
• Everything you do should enhance your and your
  departments reputations

16
Approachability

• Quiet, calm, and reasonable
• Position carries great amount of responsibility
  and authority
• Can cause fear, or mistrust in some
• Must work to overcome this perception
• Project self-confidence

17
Respectfulness

• Subjects of investigations can often feel
  disrespected by investigators and law enforcement
  officers
• Whenever possible, make the person feel valued
• When people feel valued they are more likely to
  cooperate
• Use names when conversing with people
• Everyone likes the sound of their own name

18
Sincerity

• Sincere concern for all parties is a key to
  success
• Must overcome any personal feelings and opinions
• Must show verbal and non-verbal queues that you
  care

19
Interview vs. Interrogation

• Interview
• An interview is the questioning of an individual
  believed to possess information or knowledge

• Interrogation
• An interrogation is the questioning of an
  individual believed to possess information or
  knowledge who is reluctant to make a full
  disclosure of information

20
Planning and Preparing the Interview
21
Questions to Ask Yourself

• Are you mentally and emotionally prepared for the
  interview?
• Does another investigator have more knowledge of
  the subject matter?
• Are you the right person to conduct the interview?

22
Legal Preparation

• Ensure you have jurisdiction/authority to conduct
  the interview
• Identify other issues that may dictate interview
  circumstances
• Example Collective bargaining agreements
• Review allegations for criminal activity

23
Background Information Forms

• Gather as much evidence as possible in advance
  about the incident and those involved
• Identify and gather all forms required during the
  interview
• Example Affidavits

24
Gather Evidence Identify Questions

• Document receipt of evidence
• Methods of maintaining evidence during the
  interview
• Create an outline of questions to ask during the
  interview
• Review evidence and frame questions accordingly

25
Other People

• Determine if the subject requires an attorney
  during the interview
• Outline the role of the attorney in the interview
• Determine if the subject should have/can have a
  support person present during questioning

26
Handling Multiple Witnesses

• List all witnesses to the incident to determine
  the number of interviews required
• Determine how multiple interviews will be
  conducted
• Keep witnesses separated to determine accurate,
  and untainted responses

27
IltClicker Question

• Do you record your interviews?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Sometimes

28
Notes and Recordings

• When to record
• Always take notes
• During the interview or immediately after
• Who to record
• If necessary, have another investigator help
• Recording devices
• Advantage of documentation
• Legal and practical issues to consider

29
Notes and Recordings

• Legal issues
• Authority concerns
• Requirements of recording
• Maintenance of recordings
• Practical issues
• Resources available
• Take notes as backup

30
Timing

• Timing of Interviews
• Time to incident
• Time of day
• Scheduling of interviews
• Subject Interview
• Generally done last

31
Location

• Private
• Neutral
• Minimize distractions

32
Location

• Lighting
• Seating
• Type
• Placement

33
Conducting the Interview
34
IltClicker Question

• Do you think it is okay to lie to a subject
  during an interview?

1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure
4. It depends on the circumstances

35
Telephone Interviews
36
Advantages Disadvantages

• Advantages
• Reduce travel costs
• Save staff time
• Faster case turn-around
• Surprise calls prevent prepared answers

• Disadvantages
• Unable to see non-verbal behaviors
• More difficult to establish rapport
• Less control over the environment and
  distractions

37
Similarities to In-Person Interviews

• Preparation is the most critical element
• Interviewer behaviors are the same
• Similar questioning techniques work
• Psychological stressors are also present during
  phone interviews

38
Differences to In-Person Interviews

• Allows for interviewers shortcomings to be
  covered somewhat
• Must pay more attention to precisely what is said
  in order to pick up on behavior cues

39
Conducting Interviews
40
Introductions and Identifications

• Introduce
• Yourself
• Interviewee
• Additional people in the room
• Establish report

41
Introductions and Identifications

• Personal information
• Explain why you need what information you need
• Personally Identifying Details
• Employer Information
• Contact Information

42
Indirect Examination

• Listen
• Basic interrogatives
• Vague, misleading, inconsistent
• Elements
• Note Take general notes but also identify items
  that require follow-up

43
Direct Examination

• For clarification and detail
• Question from general to specific
• Repeat indirect and direct examination throughout
  the interview as necessary

44
Concluding the Interview

• Summarize and verify
• Additional information
• Additional leads
• Releases, statements, and evidence
• Re-establish rapport

45
Tips Techniques
46
Understand Body Language

• Only 40 of communication is verbal
• Nonverbal Message
• Posture
• Gestures
• Eye Movement
• Facial Expressions

47
Physical Boundaries

• Everyone requires some personal space
• General rule is an arms length
• Invading personal space can
• Cause discomfort
• Place you in the danger zone
• Best to let subjects have their personal space

48
Questioning Techniques
49
Asking the Questions

• Open Ended Questions
• Avoid questions that can be answered yes or
  no
• Simple/Clear Questions
• One Question at a Time

50
Asking the Questions

• Chronological Sequence
• Start questioning at the beginning of the
  incidence and work through to the end
• Avoid Leading Questions
• Interrogatives
• Who, what, when, where , why, and how

51
Asking the Questions

• Human Senses
• Ask questions that go to the subjects dominant
  senses
• Vague, Misleading, Inconsistent
• Charging Words
• Avoid words like lie, steal and violate
• Pause
• Sometimes the subject will fill the silence with
  information

52
Asking the Questions

• Credibility
• Probe
• Basic Probe
• Repeat Probe
• Echo Probe

53
Basic Probe

• Ask questions using basic interrogatives
• Example What do you think of the treatment plan?
• Follow up with further interrogatives
• Example Why do you think it is a good plan?
• Use terminology used by subject to probe for
  specifics

54
Repeat Probe

• Helps clear up misunderstandings
• Expect the I dont know response
• Useful phrases
• Let me repeat the question
• Well, in your opinion
• Well, as things stand today, would you say
• All things considered

55
Echo Probe

• To draw out further detail, echo answer given.
• Answer I think its a good plan
• Echo You think its a good plan?
• Elicits further explanation from subject/witness

56
Handling Interview Contaminants
57
Environment

• Distractions
• Noises or activity within view of subject can
  cause attention to stray
• Distractions can make subject look away (appear
  to be hiding something) when just taking in their
  environment
• Privacy
• No one wants to air their dirty laundry in public
• Information may be withheld if subject feels
  exposed to public scrutiny

58
Interviewer Behavior

• Body Language
• Speech
• Preparation
• Questions
• Predeterminations
• Interview Control

59
Body Language

• Your body language can encourage or discourage
  the subject from providing information
• Just as you must be aware of the subjects body
  language, you must monitor your own
• Posture
• Facial expression
• Intonation and cadence of speech
• Gesturing
• Eye contact
• Physical proximity to subject

60
Speech

• Your voice is a key element to establishing
  rapport
• Important to project sincerity
• Paralanguage can contaminate an interview
• The manner in which you say what you say
• Can transform the dynamic of an interview by
  manipulating your voice
• 70 of people speak using a higher pitch when
  experiencing anger or fear

61
Preparation

• Create an outline to structure the interview
• Interviews without structure are risky
• Subject may sense a lack of understanding or
  planning and exploit perceived weaknesses
• An outline is more than a list of questions
• Include how you want the interview to progress
• Be flexible to allow for unexpected
  questions/information

62
Questions

• The wording of a question affects the subjects
  response
• Carefully consider choice of words
• Especially descriptive adjectives and action
  verbs
• Avoid words that lead a subject in a specific
  direction
• Use open ended questions
• Allow user to provide more information
• Allows interviewer to assess subjects baseline
  verbal and non-verbal behaviors

63
Predeterminations

• Barriers to filtering information
• Assumptions about people or their story
• Personal bias and values
• Avoid impression of seeking an admission
• Ask for help or assistance instead
• Impression of custody must also be avoided
• Avoid ability of subject to mount a duress
  argument

64
Interview Control

• Losing control of the interview will contaminate
  the interview
• Goal is to obtain information in a logical manner
• Keep the interview flowing through proper
  questioning
• Re-establish control when subject becomes hostile
  or reserved
• 20 Rule of interviewing
• Damage done by poor interview is disastrous

65
Interview Techniques
66
Numerous Witnesses

• Avoid tunnel vision
• Look for indicators they may be more than just a
  witness
• Possible involvement in incident

67
Monologue

• Matter-of-fact delivery
• Present the case information in a way that makes
  the subject assume you already know everything
  about the situation

68
Theme Development

• Rationalization
• Makes the action seem acceptable
• Projecting Blame
• Transfers blame to another party
• Minimizing
• Makes the offense seem less severe

69
Exercise Interview Role Play

• Locate a partner
• Select an interview topic (listed in your
  workbook)
• Prepare a list of preliminary questions
• Interview each other
• Return to group for discussion

70
Session Review
71
Knowledge Check

• When planning for an interview location, which of
  the following should NOT be considered?
• Privacy
• Neutral environment
• Potential distractions
• Providing meals

72
Knowledge Check

• Which of the following questioning techniques,
  employing matter-of-fact delivery of information,
  is used to convince the subject that the
  interviewer has all the facts?
• Indirect
• Probe
• Monologue
• Rationalization

73
Knowledge Check

• Which of the following is a human relation skill
  used by an investigator in gathering information?
• Demonstrating unbiased and professional conduct
• Demonstrating hostility and aggression toward
  subjects
• Demonstrating caution and suspicion
• Demonstrating extremely outgoing behavior

74
Learning Objectives Review

• You should now be able to
• State the two main goals of an interview
• Identify the personal attributes of the
  successful interviewer
• Identify human relation and interpersonal skills

75
Learning Objectives Review

• You should now be able to
• Identify the elements of planning and preparing
  for the interview
• Discuss the in-person interviews versus telephone
  interviews
• List the three steps of the interview

76
Learning Objectives Review

• You should now be able to
• State the two interview examination types
• Identify proper and improper questioning
  techniques from a given list of sample interview
  questions
• Identify interview contaminates

77
Questions
78
Session Evaluation
79
In general, this instructor

1. Is Unacceptable
2. Needs Improvement
3. Is Good
4. Is Very Good
5. Is Excellent

80
The style of delivery

1. Is Unacceptable
2. Needs Improvement
3. Is Good
4. Is Very Good
5. Is Excellent

81
The content

1. Is Unacceptable
2. Needs Improvement
3. Is Good
4. Is Very Good
5. Is Excellent

82
The amount of material covered

1. Is Unacceptable
2. Needs Improvement
3. Is Good
4. Is Very Good
5. Is Excellent

83
The usefulness of this session

1. Is Unacceptable
2. Needs Improvement
3. Is Good
4. Is Very Good
5. Is Excellent