This article was originally published in November 2002. While the context reflects the time of writing, the principles remain relevant to modern investigative interviewing
There can be many ways and reasons an interrogation can fail. Among the many possible scenarios, we can fail to get a confession, we may get a false confession, or the subject may simply refuse to talk or cooperate in any form.
One of the most deadly enemies of a successful interview or interrogation is the “pre-conception assassin.” Let’s look at three tactics this “assassin” can use to quietly destroy your interview or interrogation.
Tactic One: Blind Trust in Credibility
One tactic employed by the pre-conception assassin is to convince the interviewer that the subject will be totally credible and has absolutely no intention of being misleading or deceptive.
This is an easy kill. The assassin gets the interviewer to ignore any and all signs of possible stress responses, questionable answers, or inconsistencies. If you don’t see the signs, then any negative perception about the person’s honesty simply disappears.
Cover your thinking with a mental “magic sheet,” and suddenly the deception problem vanishes—not because it isn’t there, but because you’ve chosen not to see it.
Tactic Two: Presumption of Guilt
The second tactic turns the interviewer into a raving paranoid. Now the mindset becomes that everyone is guilty of something—the interviewer just hasn’t figured out what yet.
At this point, every movement, every word, and every hesitation is interpreted as deception. The interviewer begins assigning hidden meaning to everything the subject says or does.
Now the mission shifts—from finding the truth to proving guilt. The interviewer becomes convinced the subject is lying and focuses only on getting the subject to believe it and confess.
Tactic Three: Controlling the Questions to Fit the Conclusion
Finally, the pre-conception assassin takes control of the interviewer’s question formulation and presentation.
The interviewer avoids asking questions that might contradict their beliefs. Instead, they ask only those questions that support their conclusions—and stop asking once they get the answer they want.
At this point, truth is no longer the objective. The goal becomes either securing a confession or clearing the case—at any cost.
These are the interviewers who proudly claim a 100% confession rate or a 100% clearance rate.
Final Thought: Check Your Mindset Before the Interview Begins
Before entering the interview room, examine your own mindset.
Are you unknowingly working alongside the “pre-conception assassin”? Is your ultimate objective to find the truth—no matter how uncomfortable, disappointing, or unpopular that truth may be?
Because the moment we stop searching for the truth…
…we stop serving justice.