Reading Assignment for Section 6.1

Read the following subsection from our online textbook: Section 6.1: Interviews and Interrogations.

What You Will Learn

In this section, you’ll explore the critical role of effective communication skills in law enforcement, understanding how they influence the success of interviews and interrogations in criminal investigations. You’ll learn about the structured approach to conducting interviews, covering key phases like preparation, rapport-building, and questioning techniques. Additionally, you’ll analyze how to evaluate witness statements for accuracy by assessing individual components and cross-referencing them with other evidence. Finally, you’ll identify verbal and nonverbal cues that may indicate deception, understand the importance of establishing baseline behavior, and discuss the strategic use of direct accusations in interrogations compared to adversarial courtroom techniques.

Student Learning Outcomes for Section 6.1

• SLO 1: Explain the importance of effective communication skills in law enforcement, particularly how they impact the success of interviews and interrogations in criminal investigations.
• SLO 2: Describe the structured approach to conducting law enforcement interviews, including the key phases of preparation, introduction, rapport-building, and questioning techniques.
• SLO 3: Analyze the process of evaluating witness statement accuracy, including how to assess each component independently and cross-reference it with other evidence.
• SLO 4: Identify the verbal and nonverbal cues that may indicate deception during interviews and interrogations, and discuss the significance of establishing a baseline behavior.
• SLO 5: Discuss the strategic use of direct accusation in interrogations, and compare this approach with the more adversarial techniques seen in courtroom cross-examinations.