with appropriate questions or comments show that you are interested in
what the interviewee says. The benefits of such attentiveness are numerous.
There is a close connection between active listening and intuition; active
listening helps you sense meanings that are not revealed in words alone.
The development of rapport is built on a foundation that is partly made
up of your ability to show that you are listening. Your attentiveness implies
acceptance and encourages the interviewee to say more. It allows the inter-
viewee to sense the genuine, unplanned, spontaneous you. In the end, being
attentive to the interviewee helps you achieve your ultimate goal: gathering
truthful information.
Give the interviewee your full attention. Ponder, at least momentarily,
each of the interviewee’s comments. People can sense if you are truly inter-
ested by the subtle way you pause to reflect on what they say. As an active
listener, you should be able to control unnecessary distractions. Avoid an
indifferent attitude. One way of turning people off is to not pay attention
to their comments or to be thinking of the next question to ask and not paying
total attention to the interviewee. Preoccupied glances, slack body posture,
and inappropriate silences and comments all imply boredom. Inattentive lis-
teners do not truly hear what is being said; they superficially signal hearing and responding, but no real thoughts are formulated. They are a bit out of rhythm
with the conversation and the mood of the interaction. In a fast-moving inter-
view, they fail to provide sharp, alert, quick responses.
People can sense when you are preoccupied, bored, or inattentive. Inter-
viewees who sense that you are bored or that your interest is not genuine
may feel used by you. When facing an inattentive listener, these interviewees
tend to regard the interaction as a waste of time and may hold back infor-
mation. Because they may not outwardly express their reasons for withdraw-
ing, you might never realize that your inattention stopped the flow of
information.
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The Art of Investigative Interviewing
Active listening means concentrating on everything said and not said,
both verbally and nonverbally. Evaluate the interviewee’s subjective com-
ments in light of his emotional state, attitudes, and values. Use all your skills to analyze the story he tells you. Try to determine the interviewee’s frame of
reference and what might have led him there. Evaluating interviewees prop-
erly helps you determine how hurriedly you can conduct the interview and
what direction it should take. Interviewees who feel rushed may sense that
you are insincere in your efforts and may discourage them from being coop-
erative. Always be alert for signals of the interviewee’s mental processes, and
look for clues of motivation and hidden needs. As you listen to what the
interviewee has to say, continually observe the way he acts. Through man-
nerisms, gestures, recurrent phrases, and modes of expression, interviewees
signal their thinking, their hidden needs, and possible deception. Avoid idle
thinking by concentrating on the specifics of the interview. Listen construc-
tively to the interviewee, and more important, concentrate!
Some inexperienced interviewers are so busy thinking of their next ques-
tion that they forget to listen to the interviewee’s answers. Deceitful inter-
viewees can take advantage of the investigator’s inattention by making
innocuous comments or failing to fully answer questions. If you don’t con-
centrate, deceptive interviewees with moderate skills can easily mislead you.
Even evasive interviewees, who are not really deceptive but only reluctant
or hesitant to comply, can mislead you. Some interviewees like the challenge
of testing interviewers, which is why being in control of the interview and
paying attention are so critical.
Acceptance
The listener who exhibits nonjudgmental understanding and who provides
empathic responses encourages others to continue to communicate. By
actively listening to interviewees, you signal your acceptance of them,
and they intuitively sense that it is okay to talk to you. Empathize with their
attitudes, the roles they are playing, and their expressed and demonstrated
needs.
Like most people, interviewees often think that what they have to say is
the most important thing in the world, and they continually evaluate their
listeners. If you are receptive, understanding, warm, responsive, interested,
and involved, interviewees will probably enter into a dialogue with you.
They will be responsive in a productive, permissive atmosphere. Although
interviewees expect and appreciate appropriate responses to their comments,
Rapport, Active Listening, and Other Techniques
71
they don’t necessarily seek an evaluation. They need reassurance, support,
and acceptance while revealing their thoughts and exposing their secrets.
Recognizing the interviewee’s dignity, worth, and importance will help
improve the productivity of the interview. By appearing to be helpful
and maintaining a friendly attitude, the interviewee will be more likely
to cooperate.
The ideal interviewer listens with nonjudgmental understanding and
does not criticize or bully. By exhibiting genuine interest, you can avoid
injecting your opinions, value judgments, and criticisms into the interview.
When interviewees sense that you are evaluating them with your personal
set of values, they may become defensive, which will curtail the flow of
information. Try to maintain a universal set of values as well as your personal
set of values. Neatly tuck your personal values away when you interview.
Maintain the attitude that no behavior is too aggressive, no feeling too guilty
or shameful, for the interviewee to bring into the interview.
Use sounds and actions to signal your acceptance of the interviewee.
Murmur vocal sounds like “Uh-huh” at appropriate times during the inter-
view. Using facial expressions and gestures will let the interviewee know
you are listening and being attentive. If the interviewee talks spontaneously,
avoid interrupting them until there is a significant pause. Encourage the
interviewee to continue by nodding your head and continuing to listen
attentively.
Detachment
Occasionally you might need to investigate crimes that are so horrible that
they shake you to your very core or turn your stomach. As you investigate
crimes that would make most people angry or sick, you might have to take
control of your emotions and hide feelings of outrage. When you are
expected to remain calm and listen, your body cannot vent the pent-up pres-
sure caused by stress. No matter what the circumstances, don’t be thrown off
balance. Don’t become so angry that you want to seek revenge on behalf of
the victim. Remain detached and gain the interviewee’s cooperation by
treating him or her with some level of human dignity. Being somewhat
depersonalized helps the interviewer react with calm acceptance toward
the interviewee.
Be secure in your persona
l identity. Understand yourself and maintain a
sturdy philosophical core around your personal and cultural values. When
interviewees respond to your questions in an angry outburst, detach
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The Art of Investigative Interviewing
yourself. Don’t react in a defensive, defiant manner. You might say, “I see
your point of view” or “I understand what you mean.” You will only alien-
ate the interviewee if you react emotionally. Making threats and insults does
not do much for your professionalism and will only make the interviewee
less cooperative.
Patience
Inexperienced interviewers often rush from one question to another with-
out waiting for an answer. Experienced interviewers understand that
patience is a necessary component of active listening. Impatience signals rid-
icule, cynicism, and intimidation on the part of the interviewer and blocks
rapport. Impatience toward interviewees is self-defeating and can only be
characterized as abusive and judgmental. Rather than use rapid-fire ques-
tioning, proficient interviewers allow interviewees time to answer fully
without interruption, thereby showing interest and attentiveness. By speak-
ing softly, slowly, and firmly, they signal that they are capable of both com-
prehending and solving the investigative problem. With composure,
serenity, and emotional strength, they advance toward their goal. That calm-
ness and strength are patience at work.
To be a good listener, after you ask a question, you should be quiet and
stay patient until the interviewee talks. As they talk, interviewees generally
begin to feel comfortable enough to reveal the information you need. Avoid
interrupting or making unnecessary comments; the most important role you
have is to remain totally attentive. It is through times of tension that inter-
viewees test your sincerity. Your patience in an interview signals tolerance,
acceptance, and understanding while it stimulates dialogue. Patience carries
with it forgiveness and respect for interviewees. Painstakingly and patiently
advance, point by point and item by item, toward your goal. If the inter-
viewee becomes hostile or indignant, try to remain calm and work toward
cooperation. The key is to be patient and persistent. Do not rebuff the inter-
viewee. As Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th-century British prime minister, said,
“Next to knowing when to seize an advantage, the most important thing in
life is to know when to forego an advantage.”
Your patience is vital in the face of an emotional outburst. A sensitive
response to a victim or witness in distress is essential in reducing the person’s fear. Permit interviewees to discharge their stored anger or pain in an emotional dumping process. Listen to interviewees as though you think they
have something worthwhile to offer. The interviewee may test the degree
Rapport, Active Listening, and Other Techniques
73
of your patience by making irrelevant conversation. The strength of your
gentleness, patience, and kindness leads to confidence in your judgment.
Be alert to both concrete and abstract information. Concrete, objective
explanations paint a clear picture of the event or situation. Abstract, subjec-
tive comments are emotional, nonspecific, and often misleading. Strive to
obtain concrete information, but accept that the interviewee will also
express emotion and make many subjective comments.
As your career progresses, you will come in contact with many different
personality types. Some interviewees are impulsive, egotistical, and childish,
with a low tolerance for frustration. Others are better at controlling their
impulses and will seek to collaborate with you to solve the crime. Your
patience can guide the inquiry, no matter what personality type you need
to interview.
SIGNALING ACTIVE LISTENING
Although verbal communication is the most distinctive of human achieve-
ments, nonverbal communication, including body language, touch, and
positive silence, is equally important. Feelings and intentions are conveyed
through body posture and movement, gestures, facial expressions, and eye
contact. In fact, expectations are conveyed mostly through nonverbal com-
munication. Nonverbal communication, which is learned throughout life,
reveals underlying personality traits, subconscious attitudes, intentions, and
conflicts. Use it to your advantage in an interview. Express your willingness
to listen to the interviewee by engaging your whole body in the commu-
nication process and not merely your words. Move forward in your chair,
nod your head, wear a curious expression, and smile to encourage the inter-
viewee to continue speaking. Some interviewers are highly skilled in the use
of nonverbal communication. Others can learn how to use body language,
touch, and positive silence to express their positive expectations and willing-
ness to listen.
Body Language
Body language includes posture, movement, gestures, facial expression, and
eye contact. It is an important part of the climate of an interview, which is in play from the beginning to the end of the encounter. You will convey your
expectations to the interviewee through your body language. During an
interview, your nonverbal behavior is under constant scrutiny, and a single
negative message has the potential to render an entire interview ineffective.
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The Art of Investigative Interviewing
of acceptance and trustworthiness. Your only defense is to display positive
and believable signals of acceptance. A subtle delivery is needed to avoid the
appearance of pretense and to avoid arousing the interviewee’s suspicion.
Use your tone of voice, deliberate silences, and variations in eye contact,
facial expressions, distancing, and posture to express positive or negative
feelings.
Body Posture and Movement
Signal that you are paying attention to the interviewee by sharing postures,
by standing or sitting close, and by facing the interviewee squarely or at a 45-
degree angle. Move slowly and confidently to avoid scaring the interviewee.
Lean forward to show that you are warm and attentive. When you disagree
with something the interviewee has said, be careful not to allow your pos-
ture or movement to announce your disagreement. People generally shift
their position before voicing their disagreement with what the speaker
has said.
When you sense that you are communicating effectively with an inter-
viewee, some nonverbal movement in synchrony with the interviewee will
signaling attentive listening. Try to move in time to the rhythm of the
speaker. People are drawn to those who seem to mirror them. Just as a per-
fect meshing of gears is essential to a smooth-running engine, an effective
meshing of personalities is a key to a successful interview.
Gestures, Facial Expression, and Tone of Voice
Proficient investigators use nonconfrontational interviewing tactics, and
their body language reflects a nonconfrontational style. If your gestures
are in any way acc
usatory—for example, pointing your finger—the inter-
viewee will become defensive and likely will shut down. When gesturing,
display your total involvement in what is being said. Keep your arms open
and your palms extended. Turn your head toward the interviewee; do not
look at him or her out of the corner of your eye. Look at the interviewee
often, and wear an interested or pleased expression. Your face will not crack
and break if you flex your facial muscles to show expression! Be careful not
to indicate an authoritarian attitude with your facial expressions or intona-
tion, though. Responding with phrases such as “I see,” “Please go on,” and
“Uh- huh” will show that you are interested and they should continue talk-
ing. But the impact of these phrases can be negative or positive depending on
Rapport, Active Listening, and Other Techniques
75
how they are expressed. You might say, “Please go on,” but stop the flow of
information with a tone that proclaims disbelief or boredom. Collect evi-
dence in a fair and impartial manner by keeping your tone alert and neutral.
Eye Contact
The interviewer’s easy eye contact promotes rapport with the interviewee
and encourages communication. Like gestures, eye contact works to control
the flow of conversation. It is common for interviewers to look away for a
few seconds before they finish speaking and then to look back as they are
continue. Used properly, eye contact is effective in establishing and main-
taining communication.
If you are a dominant, assertive individual, be careful how you use eye
contact. You don’t want to frighten interviewees with your eye contact pat-
tern. Do not stare at the interviewee; this creates undue stress, which can
interfere with communication. Be sure to give the interviewee time to think
clearly and talk. Through continued practice, you will know the right time
to talk and the right time to listen.
Touch
Touching another human being in a gentle, reassuring way indicates con-
cern, warmth, and closeness. At times it is helpful to place your hand gently
on the interviewee’s hand, arm, or shoulder. A reassuring touch strengthens