Eyewitness Eyewitness IdentificationIdentification

InterviewingInterviewing

By: Matt SullivanBy: Matt Sullivan

Eyewitness InterviewingEyewitness Interviewing

Is the process of obtaining Is the process of obtaining information from witnesses or information from witnesses or victims of a crime or event by police victims of a crime or event by police officers, detectives, lawyers, and officers, detectives, lawyers, and psychologists.psychologists.

Different Types of Different Types of InterviewingInterviewing

Standard Police InterviewStandard Police Interview HypnosisHypnosis Cognitive InterviewCognitive Interview

Standard Police Standard Police InterviewInterview

Involves narrative report of what Involves narrative report of what happenedhappened

Then asks specific questionsThen asks specific questions Ask questions in a uniform fashionAsk questions in a uniform fashion Do little to facilitate recallDo little to facilitate recall Poor social dynamics and Poor social dynamics and

communicationcommunication

Problems with Police Problems with Police InterviewsInterviews

Interrupt witnessInterrupt witness Ask too many short-answer Ask too many short-answer

questionsquestions Direct questions—rapid fireDirect questions—rapid fire Inappropriate sequence of questionsInappropriate sequence of questions Ask questions in uniform fashionAsk questions in uniform fashion

Mello and Fisher (1996).Mello and Fisher (1996).

Other Problems Associated Other Problems Associated with Standard Police with Standard Police

InterviewInterview Negative phrasingNegative phrasing Leading questionsLeading questions Inappropriate languageInappropriate language Judgmental commentsJudgmental comments Have witnesses remain passiveHave witnesses remain passive Kiebbell and Wagstaff (1998).Kiebbell and Wagstaff (1998).

Hypnotic InterviewingHypnotic Interviewing

Establish rapport with eyewitnessEstablish rapport with eyewitness Explain what they are going to doExplain what they are going to do Then hypnotize Then hypnotize

Age RegressionAge Regression Television TechniqueTelevision Technique

Hypnosis PositivesHypnosis Positives

Hypnosis interviewers have good Hypnosis interviewers have good interpersonal skillsinterpersonal skills

Interviewers also have clinical and Interviewers also have clinical and psychology backgroundspsychology backgrounds

Use strategies similar to cognitive Use strategies similar to cognitive interviewinterview ““Relive,” or mentally recreate the eventRelive,” or mentally recreate the event Think about feelingsThink about feelings Go through event in different orderGo through event in different order

Hypnosis NegativesHypnosis Negatives Decrease in accuracyDecrease in accuracy False confidence in incorrect informationFalse confidence in incorrect information Increased suggestibility to leading questionsIncreased suggestibility to leading questions Misleading post-event informationMisleading post-event information

Kebbell and Wagstaff (1998).Kebbell and Wagstaff (1998). Hypnosis is looked down upon in legal Hypnosis is looked down upon in legal

systemsystem

Cognitive InterviewCognitive Interview

Cognitive interview aims to:Cognitive interview aims to: Improve social dynamics between Improve social dynamics between

eyewitness and interviewereyewitness and interviewer Improve both eyewitness and Improve both eyewitness and

interviewers memory and other interviewers memory and other cognitive processescognitive processes

Communication between the Communication between the interviewer and eyewitnessinterviewer and eyewitness

Cognitive InterviewCognitive Interview

Developed by Geiselman et al (1984).Developed by Geiselman et al (1984). Retrieval mnemonicsRetrieval mnemonics

Encourage using many retrieval pathsEncourage using many retrieval paths Recounting events in variety of ordersRecounting events in variety of orders Reporting events from different perspectivesReporting events from different perspectives

Attempt to increase overlap between Attempt to increase overlap between encoding and retrieval contextsencoding and retrieval contexts

Mentally reinstating environment and personal Mentally reinstating environment and personal contextcontext

Reporting everythingReporting everything

Cognitive InterviewCognitive Interview

Memory retrievalMemory retrieval General cognitionGeneral cognition Social dynamicsSocial dynamics Communication Communication

Other Characteristics of Other Characteristics of Cog InterviewCog Interview

Reinstate mental context, report everythingReinstate mental context, report everything Recall events in different order and change Recall events in different order and change

perspectivesperspectives Using imagery and putting oneself in Using imagery and putting oneself in

another's shoes—use with caution: may another's shoes—use with caution: may lead to memory distortionlead to memory distortion

Modified cognitive interview Modified cognitive interview Build rapportBuild rapport Control is transferred to witnessControl is transferred to witness Focused retrievalFocused retrieval

Older Adults and Older Adults and ChildrenChildren

Social stigma—older peoples’ memory is poor.Social stigma—older peoples’ memory is poor. Age related differences observed under weak Age related differences observed under weak

cued recall conditionscued recall conditions Can be reduced or eliminated by appropriate Can be reduced or eliminated by appropriate

retrieval cues, instructions, or retrieval retrieval cues, instructions, or retrieval operationsoperations

Police interviews poor on facilitating Police interviews poor on facilitating eyewitness recalleyewitness recall

Cognitive interview better for older adults Cognitive interview better for older adults than younger participantsthan younger participants

Older Adults and Older Adults and ChildrenChildren

Modified version of cognitive interviewModified version of cognitive interview Eliminated describing event from someone Eliminated describing event from someone

else's perspectiveelse's perspective Also, did not have older adults perform Also, did not have older adults perform

story information recall.story information recall. Showed no difference between the ci and the ci-Showed no difference between the ci and the ci-

m for older participantsm for older participants

The study produced no overall age-The study produced no overall age-related differences. Mello & Fisher related differences. Mello & Fisher (1995).(1995).

Children and Children and InterviewingInterviewing

Repeated interviews are commonRepeated interviews are common Children become less accurate with repeated Children become less accurate with repeated

interviewsinterviews Change answers due to question repetitionChange answers due to question repetition During cross-examination—kids change During cross-examination—kids change

answersanswers When a question is unanswerable—make stuff When a question is unanswerable—make stuff

upup More likely to change answers to opinion More likely to change answers to opinion

questionsquestions Krahenbuhl & Blades (2005).Krahenbuhl & Blades (2005).

RapportRapport Eyewitness more likely to cooperate with Eyewitness more likely to cooperate with

someone who is more supportivesomeone who is more supportive Creates potential to increase correct Creates potential to increase correct

responses without increase in incorrect responses without increase in incorrect onesones

Interviewer attitude can affect the quality Interviewer attitude can affect the quality and quantity of informationand quantity of information Collins and Lincoln (2002)Collins and Lincoln (2002)

Show understanding, concern, personalize Show understanding, concern, personalize interview, listen actively.interview, listen actively. National Institute of JusticeNational Institute of Justice

National Institute of JusticeNational Institute of JusticePre-InterviewPre-Interview

Interview witness as soon as possibleInterview witness as soon as possible Minimize distractionsMinimize distractions Separate witnesses so they do not share Separate witnesses so they do not share

storiesstories Develop rapportDevelop rapport Ask about prior contact with law Ask about prior contact with law

enforcementenforcement Do not volunteer specific information Do not volunteer specific information

about caseabout case

Sequence of Conducting Sequence of Conducting InterviewInterview

1. attempt to minimize witness’s anxiety1. attempt to minimize witness’s anxiety 2. Establish and maintain rapport2. Establish and maintain rapport 3. encourage witness to take an active 3. encourage witness to take an active

rolerole 4. request a free narrative4. request a free narrative 5. ask witness to mentally recreate 5. ask witness to mentally recreate

eventsevents 6. ask follow-up questions6. ask follow-up questions

During the InterviewDuring the Interview

Investigator should..Investigator should.. Ask open ended questionsAsk open ended questions Avoid leading questionsAvoid leading questions Caution witness not to guessCaution witness not to guess Encourage witness to volunteer Encourage witness to volunteer

information and report all details, even if information and report all details, even if trivialtrivial

Avoid interruptionsAvoid interruptions Instruct them to not talk to other witnesses Instruct them to not talk to other witnesses

and avoid media and avoid media

Resources Resources Collins, R., Lincoln, R., & Frank, R. (2002). The effect of Collins, R., Lincoln, R., & Frank, R. (2002). The effect of

Rapport in Rapport in Forensic Interviewing. Forensic Interviewing. Psychiatry, Psych, Psychiatry, Psych, &Law, 9, &Law, 9, 69-78.69-78.

Geiselman et al. (1985). Eyewitness Memory Geiselman et al. (1985). Eyewitness Memory Enhancement in the Enhancement in the Police Interview: Police Interview: Cognitive Cognitive Retrieval Mnemonics Versus Retrieval Mnemonics Versus Hypnosis. Hypnosis. Journal of Journal of Applied Psychology, 70, Applied Psychology, 70, 401-412.401-412.

Kebbell, M., & Wagstaff, G. (1998). Hypnotic Interviewing: Kebbell, M., & Wagstaff, G. (1998). Hypnotic Interviewing: The Best Way The Best Way to Interview Eyewitnesses? to Interview Eyewitnesses? Behavioral Behavioral Sciences and the Law, 16Sciences and the Law, 16, 115-129., 115-129.

Mello, E., & Fisher, R. (1996). Enhancing Older Adult Mello, E., & Fisher, R. (1996). Enhancing Older Adult Eyewitness Eyewitness Memory with the Cognitive Interview. Memory with the Cognitive Interview. Applied Applied Cognitive Psychology, 10, Cognitive Psychology, 10, 403-417. 403-417.

Wells, G., et al. (2000). From the Lab to the Police Station A Wells, G., et al. (2000). From the Lab to the Police Station A Successful Successful Aplication of Eyewitness Research. Aplication of Eyewitness Research. American American Psychology, 55, Psychology, 55, 581-598.581-598.

National Institute of Justice. Interviewing, Eyewitness National Institute of Justice. Interviewing, Eyewitness Evidence: A Trainer’s Manual for Law Enforcement.Evidence: A Trainer’s Manual for Law Enforcement.