From: jcs
Detectives employ various interrogation techniques and tactics during investigations to elicit information and confessions from suspects. These methods often involve psychological manipulation, careful evidence management, and strategic questioning.
Initial Investigative Approach
Detectives meticulously plan their steps to avoid compromising the investigation. A key strategy is to initially withhold crucial evidence from a suspect, as knowing this information could allow them to alter their alibi to fit the evidence, thereby hindering the investigators’ ability to build a case [03:11:00].
Psychological Preparation of the Suspect
Before the formal interrogation begins, detectives may use tactics to mentally prepare the suspect. For example, a suspect might be left alone for an extended period, allowing anxiety to fester and intensify, especially if they are already aware of a related prior interview [05:20:22]. The sudden appearance of an investigator previously involved in the case can immediately convert any brief relief into shock, making the suspect realize the severity of their situation [06:07:00].
Questioning and Deception Strategies
Open-Ended Questions
Detectives often begin an interrogation with open-ended questions, granting the suspect total freedom in their response [08:46:00]. The psychological premise behind this is that:
- Truthful subjects tend to give short, concise answers [08:52:00].
- Individuals with something to hide are more likely to give lengthy and detailed responses, seeking approval and attempting to appease the perceived threat of the interrogator [09:11:00].
Feigning Belief and Lowering Guard
Detectives might pretend to believe a suspect’s fabricated alibi, continuously inquiring into it [17:56:00]. This is not for information gathering but to allow the suspect to let their guard down, diminish their anxiety, and increase their belief in their ability to fool the detectives [18:10:00].
Confrontation and Disorientation
A key strategy involves initiating the first confrontation when the suspect is completely off-guard [18:32:00]. A sharp and sudden switch from a relaxed state to feeling threatened can disorient a suspect, impairing their ability to think critically or fabricate emotion convincingly on the spot [19:29:00].
Direct Accusation and Observing Response
More aggressive confrontations involve directly accusing the suspect of involvement in the disappearance [23:00:00]. Innocent subjects typically reciprocate aggression and refute allegations forcefully [23:07:00]. A suspect who shows no emotional response or shock, but rather a composed demeanor, suggests they anticipated a blunt confrontation, indicating guilt [23:20:00].
Maximizing Pressure with Evidence
When a suspect remains unyielding, detectives reveal their most substantial piece of evidence to maximize pressure [25:47:00].
Techniques to Lower Admission Threshold
- How and Why Solution: This technique attempts to blame the victim while minimizing the motivations behind the crime, making it easier for a suspect to admit to a lesser degree of involvement [27:53:00].
- Alternative Question: This plants a seed in the suspect’s mind by offering a more morally acceptable alternative for what might have happened, encouraging a confession [27:59:00].
Relentless Pressure and Appeal to Morality
Detectives maintain relentless pressure for a confession by attacking the suspect’s character while simultaneously appealing to their sense of morality [29:03:00]. This includes emphasizing the victim’s humanity and the family’s right to closure [29:13:00]. The goal is to get “one foot in the door” with any level of admission, which then serves as a new foundation for building the case [31:46:00].