Interviewing in Criminal and Intelligence-Gathering Contexts: Applying Science

abstract

This article provides a framework for the application of science-based interview methods to interviews conducted in both criminal and intelligence interview contexts. In these contexts, subjects frequently are antagonistic and many have experienced some kind of trauma. Similar to mental health professionals who conduct face-to-face interviews in prisons and hospitals, there is the need to gain as much valid and useful information as possible to make informed decisions. Our framework consists of three phases: in-depth planning, engagement, and sensemaking. We include a description of moments of a real-life criminal interview to illustrate the framework, and then briefly address some of the cultural and ethical challenges inherent to this domain.

Keywords:

• Sensemaking
• interviewing
• listening
• interrogation
• influence

Notes

1 For various legal and policy-related reasons, medical data are not commonly available to investigators in criminal or intelligence interviews. In this respect, the data we have are markedly different from those working in hospital settings.

2 Intelligence interviews are likely to have objectives (“source requirements”) that are predetermined by the home agency or agencies within the intelligence community. Interviews with a criminal prosecution as the end goal will have objectives that must meet the needs of the prosecuting attorney(s).

3 These warnings can be offered as part of an autonomy-encouraging strategy, rather than as a nuisance or risk that the officer might try to minimise, as is often the case in the U.S. (Kassin et al., 2004).