CPI Interview & Interrogation Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'Reid Technique' primarily refer to in investigative interrogation?
- A nine-step behavioral analysis and interrogation method (Correct answer)
- A cognitive interviewing protocol for witnesses
- A document examination procedure
- A polygraph examination protocol
Correct answer: A nine-step behavioral analysis and interrogation method
The Reid Technique is a nine-step interrogation method that includes behavioral analysis interview, positive confrontation, and theme development to elicit confessions.
Question 2: When interviewing a reluctant witness, which strategy is MOST effective for building initial cooperation?
- Establishing rapport and explaining why the information is important (Correct answer)
- Immediately confronting the witness with known evidence
- Threatening legal consequences for non-cooperation
- Recording the interview without the witness's knowledge
Correct answer: Establishing rapport and explaining why the information is important
Building rapport and explaining the importance of the witness's information are foundational strategies for encouraging cooperation from reluctant subjects.
Question 3: In statement analysis, what does the phrase 'I don't remember' versus 'It didn't happen' suggest about a statement's reliability?
- 'It didn't happen' is a stronger denial that may be more credible than a memory-based hedge (Correct answer)
- Both phrases indicate the same level of deception
- 'I don't remember' always indicates deception
- Memory-based responses are always more reliable than denials
Correct answer: 'It didn't happen' is a stronger denial that may be more credible than a memory-based hedge
A direct denial ('It didn't happen') is generally considered a stronger and more credible denial than a hedge about memory, which may indicate evasion.
Question 4: What is a 'control question' in the context of a polygraph examination?
- A known or likely-lie question used to establish a baseline physiological response (Correct answer)
- A question about the crime that the examinee cannot answer truthfully
- A neutral question used at the start to calibrate the instrument
- A question asked only if the subject appears deceptive
Correct answer: A known or likely-lie question used to establish a baseline physiological response
Control questions are designed to elicit a deceptive response from most people and establish a physiological baseline for comparison with relevant questions.
Question 5: An inspector notices a subject uses excessive qualifiers such as 'I think,' 'as far as I know,' and 'I believe' throughout their statement. What might this language pattern indicate?
- Possible evasion or uncertainty that warrants further clarification (Correct answer)
- Extreme honesty and careful communication
- Evidence the subject is under medication
- A common speech pattern with no investigative significance
Correct answer: Possible evasion or uncertainty that warrants further clarification
Excessive hedging language may indicate evasion, uncertainty, or deliberate distancing from claimed facts, warranting deeper follow-up questions.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes the 'funnel approach' to interview question sequencing?
- Beginning with broad open questions and progressively narrowing to specific closed questions (Correct answer)
- Starting with the most critical evidence and working backward
- Asking all closed questions first to establish a baseline
- Randomly mixing question types to prevent the subject from adapting
Correct answer: Beginning with broad open questions and progressively narrowing to specific closed questions
The funnel approach begins with open-ended questions to gather a full narrative and progressively narrows with specific questions to fill in details.
Question 7: What is the legal significance of a 'voluntary confession' in a US investigative context?
- It must be given without coercion, threats, or improper promises to be admissible (Correct answer)
- It is admissible only if the subject waived Miranda rights in writing
- It requires corroboration by physical evidence to be used in court
- It is automatically admissible regardless of how it was obtained
Correct answer: It must be given without coercion, threats, or improper promises to be admissible
A voluntary confession must be free from coercion, threats, or improper inducements; involuntary confessions are unconstitutional and inadmissible.
CPI Interview & Interrogation Techniques 3
What does the term 'Reid Technique' primarily refer to in investigative interrogation?