CLI Interview & Interrogation Methods Flashcards

What distinguishes an 'interview' from an 'interrogation' in the context of legal investigation?

Answer: Interviews are non-accusatory information-gathering sessions; interrogations are accusatory and presuppose guilt or deception

An interview is a non-accusatory conversation aimed at gathering information, while an interrogation is a structured, accusatory process used when the investigator believes the subject is withholding or fabricating information.

Which type of question is most effective at the beginning of a witness interview to encourage a full, unguided narrative?

Answer: Open-ended questions

Open-ended questions allow the witness to provide a full, unfiltered account in their own words, which often reveals details the investigator had not anticipated.

A CLI investigator interviewing an uncooperative witness should first attempt which approach?

Answer: Build rapport and explain the purpose and benefits of the interview

Building rapport and clearly explaining the investigator's purpose often transforms reluctant witnesses into cooperative ones without coercive or legally problematic tactics.

When documenting a witness statement, what practice best protects the integrity of the account?

Answer: Recording verbatim quotes where possible and having the witness review and sign the statement

Verbatim documentation followed by witness review and signature creates a contemporaneous, authenticated record that is far more resistant to later challenges.

What is the 'cognitive interview' technique designed to achieve?

Answer: Enhance memory retrieval in witnesses by using mental reinstatement of context

The cognitive interview uses techniques like mental reinstatement of the original context, reporting everything, and recalling events in different orders to improve the completeness and accuracy of witness memory.

In the US, a private investigator conducting an interview has the right to:

Answer: Ask questions; the witness has no legal obligation to respond

Private investigators have no subpoena power or authority to compel testimony; witnesses may refuse to speak with them, and cooperation is entirely voluntary absent a court order.