Gathering information from someone who wouldn't give it away was difficult. Whether it's investigating a criminal case or simply finding out if your child smokes or not, there are many techniques you can use to conduct an interrogation. Every interrogation situation is different, so make sure you recognize your situation and know what approach to take.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Be Right
Step 1. Be friendly and relaxed
Research and empirical evidence consistently show that the best way to gain recognition from someone is to make them comfortable with you. He's got to trust you before he's going to say anything, and you won't really get anything out of it if you act like a smug, threatening dictator. Act like someone who is easygoing and just on duty, and you'll earn the sympathy of the person you're interrogating. In short, the first step there is to make him believe in you.
Step 2. Control yourself
This doesn't mean you have to look like a tough guy, but you have to look professional, calm, confident, and know exactly what you're doing. This will make the person you're interrogating think that you're the one who can get him out of trouble, or into deeper trouble if he's the one at fault.
Step 3. Calm down
If you appear angry or stressed, the person you are interrogating will think that he or she can control your emotions. Don't let that happen, and stay calm as long as you interact with the person you're interrogating.
Step 4. Don't use the good cop-bad cop way
This technique is often seen in various media so that it is seen by many people. This technique will make the person you're questioning suspicious of, and you don't want him to be suspicious.
Part 2 of 4: Relationships
Step 1. Show kindness to him
Have you ever heard of a story about a terrorist who gave information only because the interrogator gave him a special biscuit (the terrorist can't eat regular biscuits because of diabetes)? It can be applied in any situation. Be polite, be kind, and at the very least show that you really want to do something for the good of the person you're interrogating. That way, he will want to be more open.
Step 2. Discuss another subject or topic
Discuss a casual topic that doesn't have to be related to your investigation. This will give you the opportunity to connect and get to know each other, making him more willing to talk and helping you understand his thoughts and principles.
For example, ask him where he grew up and say that you've always wanted to go there. Then ask about other things about the place such as how beautiful the place is, what food is good there, and so on
Step 3. Get to know him
Ask him questions and ask him what he likes, what his mindset is, and what things are important to him. This information can make it more open and make your task easier.
Step 4. Help him with something unrelated
Find out what his current needs are that are not related to the topic of your interrogation but can be met. Maybe your child needs medicine or medical help and you can help him get him to the hospital or buy him medicine for free. Maybe his sibling is doing poorly in school and your child is smart enough to be a tutor. If you can figure out what's more important to him than the information he's storing, then you know what to do to get him to trust you.
Step 5. Ask for his opinion
Asking others for their opinion on topics related to your investigation can reveal how the person you are interrogating thinks and can also lead him to unintentionally reveal information that he should not. Ask questions like who might be behind all of this or what he would do if he were you. Ask him what he thinks about stealing or whatever your investigation was at the time. If you can study and analyze the answers you receive, you will find out much that you need to know.
Step 6. Be the advisor
The person you are interrogating should see you as someone who will protect him and do whatever is best for him, but only if he gives you what you need. If informing you will get him a very bad sentence, then you should find out how to get the best outcome for both parties in the interrogation. This means you have to expose the bad possibilities, and offer the better ones.
Part 3 of 4: Asking the Right Questions
Step 1. Use closed questions
Closed questions can only be answered with “yes” or “no”, or with specific answers. If someone is trying to avoid your questions, use some of these questions and ask for direct answers. Closed questions include:
“Who…”, “When…”, “What…”, “Are you…”, and so on
Step 2. Use open-ended questions
Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with “yes” or “no”. Questions like these are useful in getting the person to provide more information and possibly unintentionally say things they shouldn't, as well as get a better detail and picture of the situation you're trying to examine.
For example, “Explain how…”, “Why…”, “What happened…”, and so on
Step 3. Use funnel questions
Funnel questions will cover a wider range and can be answered easily, but then narrow down to the information you are looking for. You can often start a question like this with a question you know the answer to. This type of question also has the opportunity to get people to share information they shouldn't have been told.
For example, “Did you know about the theft last night?”, “Who was in the office at 8pm?”, “When did they leave?”, “When did you leave?”, and so on
Step 4. Use descriptive questions
When you ask this type of question, for example when you are trying to get details of an incident or catch someone lying, use descriptive language. Use words like “tell”, “explain”, or “show” to get him to tell a story and provide great detail. The collection of details he said could make him say something he shouldn't have said.
Step 5. Use analytical questions
Questions that ask for an in-depth opinion on something can lead to him providing important information and also allow you to understand his thoughts and find ways to extract more information from him. Ask questions like “Why did people steal that file?” or read the reaction.
Step 6. Don't use provocation questions
Questions like these can lead the person you are interrogating to give dishonest answers just to please you or avoid trouble. This question may sound useful, but in the end you still want to hear the honest testimony of the person you are interrogating. If you interrogate an innocent person, you may end up messing up your own investigation and making matters more complicated.
For example “Laurel is not a trustworthy person, is he?”
Part 4 of 4: Using Other Ways
Step 1. Silence
Silence can be a great way. Try to be quiet after someone answers your question or when he won't answer, and just look him in the face. Make a face like when your mother looked at you knowing you had just done something wrong, then wait. Most people would feel uncomfortable being in such a silent situation and end up saying what they can say.
Step 2. Use property or “evidence”
This is a fraudulent method and will probably get you into trouble. But you can use folders, photo negatives, plastic bags with something in them, SD cards, CDs, or other props and objects that make people think you have evidence when you don't. Don't say anything about the object you're holding, just show that you have it and wait for a reaction.
Step 3. Use existing knowledge
Another way is to make the person you are interrogating think that you already know everything. Study the basics, the more the better, and say that even if you know and have everything you need to complete your investigation, you still need to hear confirmation of the details from the person you are interrogating. Ask questions that you already know the answer to, and rearrange them into closed-ended questions (“You're at the office on the 17th at 9:10 a.m., aren't you?”). Then ask what you don't know (“One thing I didn't know was the file you gave me at the time. Can you explain why you brought and handed over the file? I think you have your reasons.”).
Step 4. Avoid torture or intimidation techniques
You should as much as possible avoid techniques that are threatening and intimidating, or worse, using any form of torture to obtain information by force. This method can affect your psychological in the long run.
Tips
- Make sure everything you do and ask has a reason and purpose.
- Have a camera in your interrogation room (be it real or fake).
