Interview and Interrogation Techniques Tip 19: To Record or Not Record

Interview and Interrogation Techniques Tip 19

To Record or Not Record … Why Would You Not?

101 Tips for Interviewers and Interrogator

Stan B. Walters The Lie Guy® Blog

Interview and Interrogation Techniques have come under increased scrutiny. Since 1984 and the passage of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (P.A.C.E.) Great Britain’s law enforcement agencies have been recording their interviewing and interrogation sessions. There were multiple reasons behind the move to record. To assure that the rights of subject’s were being properly protected and more importantly, the biggest motivating factor was to more quickly identify and reduce the occurrence of false confessions.

Since that time numerous local agencies in the US have decided on an individual basis to record their interviewing and interrogation sessions. There are now 20+ states that by statute recording some form of recording of at least specific major felony cases to all felony cases and many misdemeanor cases.

Initially there was resistance to the idea of recording those sessions by some law enforcement personnel and prosecutors. Those agencies and states that have started the recording interviewing and interrogation of subjects have now overwhelming embraced the process and are giving rave reviews. Earlier this year there has been news that more and more federal agencies may be following suit.

Listen in to Tip # 19 of 101 Tips for Interviewers and Interrogators and learn more about the process of interviewing and interrogation recording.

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