From: jcs
Police interrogation strategies are employed by law enforcement to gather information and elicit confessions from suspects. These techniques often involve psychological manipulation and strategic questioning to create a sense of discomfort, then relief, and ultimately to secure a confession.
Initial Stages of Interrogation
Creating Anxiety and Uncertainty
Upon arrest, a suspect may be informed of a minor charge, such as an outstanding traffic warrant, before being left alone in the interrogation room for an extended period [04:58:00]. This isolation, as seen with Leroy Daugherty, allows anxiety to fester and intensify, gradually diminishing any initial optimism the suspect might have [05:44:00], [05:52:00], [06:29:00]. The appearance of a previously encountered investigator, rather than the arresting officer, signals the true gravity of the situation, further escalating the suspect’s fear [06:09:00], [06:20:00].
Strategic Information Control
Investigators carefully control the flow of information during an interrogation [03:11:00]. They avoid revealing the full extent of their evidence, such as surveillance footage, to prevent a suspect from altering their alibi to fit the known facts [03:14:00], [03:16:00]. This tactic preserves a significant advantage for investigators during questioning and helps in building a stronger case [03:21:00].
Questioning and Psychological Dynamics
Open-Ended Questions
Interrogation techniques often begin with open-ended questions, granting the suspect “total freedom and flexibility” in their response [08:46:00], [08:48:00].
Suspect Behavior in Response to Open-Ended Questions
It is commonly believed that individuals with “nothing to hide” provide short, concise answers [08:52:00], [08:56:00]. Conversely, those attempting to conceal something are more likely to give lengthy, detailed responses [09:12:00], [09:14:00]. This is because deceptive subjects seek approval and view the interrogator as an “imminent threat” to appease [09:37:00], [09:39:00], [09:41:00]. Truthful subjects, having no fear, see the interrogator as a “mere inconvenience” [09:45:00], [09:48:00], [09:50:00].
Inducing Admissions
When a suspect suspects that investigators possess some evidence, they may be compelled to amend their alibi to some degree and offer a partial admission [13:41:00], [13:45:00], [13:49:00]. This allows investigators to move closer to a full confession while still concealing the full extent of their evidence [13:51:00], [13:53:00], [13:55:00].
False Sense of Security and Confrontation
Interrogation techniques and strategies include creating a false sense of security by pretending to believe the suspect’s fabricated story [18:12:00], [18:15:00]. This lowers the suspect’s guard, reduces anxiety, and increases their belief that they are succeeding in deceiving the detectives [18:19:00], [18:21:00], [18:23:00], [18:25:00]. This strategy is deployed to “catch the suspect completely off-guard” when the first confrontation is initiated [18:28:00], [18:30:00], [18:33:00]. The sudden shift in emotion can disorient a suspect and impair their ability to think critically or fabricate convincing lies [19:30:00], [19:37:00], [19:41:00].
Direct Accusation
A more aggressive confrontation involves directly accusing the suspect of involvement in the disappearance [23:00:00], [23:02:00], [23:03:00]. Innocent subjects typically “reciprocate this aggression” and refute the allegation forcefully [23:07:00], [23:09:00], [23:17:00], [23:18:00], [23:20:00]. A composed or anticipated response suggests the suspect expected such a confrontation [23:22:00], [23:25:00], [23:29:00], [23:30:00].
The Revelation of Evidence
The most substantial piece of evidence, such as surveillance footage, is revealed at a pivotal moment to maximize pressure [25:47:00], [25:49:00]. This forces the suspect to confront undeniable facts, particularly when their previous narrative is directly contradicted by the evidence [26:21:00], [26:23:00], [26:26:00].
”How and Why Solution” and “Alternative Question”
These interrogation techniques and analysis are used to lower the perceived severity of admission [27:41:00], [27:43:00], [27:45:00].
- “How and Why Solution”: Blames the victim or minimizes the motivations behind the crime [27:53:00], [27:55:00], [27:56:00].
- “Alternative Question”: Presents the suspect with a more “morally accepting choice” for what might have occurred, planting a seed for a less incriminating confession [28:01:00], [28:03:00], [28:05:00].
Relentless Pressure and Appeal to Morality
Criminal interrogation techniques involve attacking the suspect’s character while simultaneously appealing to their sense of morality [29:02:00], [29:03:00], [29:05:00], [29:07:00]. This often includes emphasizing the victim’s family’s right to knowledge and closure [29:16:00], [29:18:00], [29:21:00], [29:51:00]. Interrogators may repeatedly ask for the location of the victim and express their own emotional investment in finding them [24:59:00], [25:00:00], [25:02:00], [25:05:00]. They might also highlight inconsistencies and reiterate that evidence, like video footage, “doesn’t lie” [27:12:00]. This sustained pressure aims to wear down the suspect and elicit a confession [30:00:00].
Conclusion and Confession
The goal of these detective interrogation techniques is to secure a confession [29:00:00], [29:02:00]. Once a suspect begins to amend their story, even slightly, it provides a new platform for investigators to build upon and further chip away at their resistance [31:46:00], [31:48:00], [31:50:00], [31:56:00], [31:58:00]. In the case of Leroy Daugherty, this culminated in his admission to killing Savannah Gold [33:23:00], [33:25:00]. The moment of confession is often followed by profound emotional distress as the suspect processes the implications of their actions [34:04:00], [34:07:00], [34:09:00], [35:25:00].