Private Investigator Exam Interview & Skip Tracing

Question 1

In investigative interviewing, what is the primary goal of the 'rapport-building' phase?

Accepted Answer

To establish trust and reduce anxiety so the subject communicates more freely

Answer

Rapport-building establishes trust and puts the subject at ease, making them more likely to cooperate and provide useful, truthful information.

Question 2

What type of question elicits the most detailed information from a witness?

Accepted Answer

Open-ended questions

Answer

Open-ended questions invite the witness to narrate in their own words, producing more detailed and less suggestible responses than closed or leading questions.

Question 3

What is 'skip tracing' in private investigation?

Accepted Answer

Locating a person who has left without providing a forwarding address

Answer

Skip tracing is the process of locating a person who has 'skipped' town or cannot be found through normal means, often using public records, databases, and interviews.

Question 4

Which public record is commonly used in skip tracing to find a subject's current address?

Accepted Answer

Voter registration records

Answer

Voter registration records are public in many US states and often contain a registrant's current address, making them a valuable skip-tracing resource.

Question 5

A 'cognitive interview' technique in investigations is designed to:

Accepted Answer

Enhance the recall of eyewitness memory through mental reinstatement of context

Answer

The cognitive interview technique uses mental context reinstatement to help witnesses recall more accurate and detailed memories of an event.

Private Investigator Exam Practice Test

Private Investigator Exam Practice Test

Private Investigator Exam Interview & Skip Tracing