Obtaining the truth - the whole truth and nothing but the truthForensic Focus - June 2009 |
Obtaining the truth, or at least detecting if someone is being deceitful, is an art form that we could all use everyday. It is a skill that we would like to think we have, but very few of us have mastered.
An exception to this is Don Rabon. Don is a professional trainer, specialising in investigative and interviewing techniques, evaluation of depositions, narratives and other forms of discourse. He has trained professionals throughout the world including individuals from the FBI, CIA and US Department of Justice. Recently, we were fortunate enough to attend an intensive training session with Don to sharpen our skills and learn new techniques.
Some key points that we can all apply to interviews are:
- Prepare for an interview where possible and take your time. Make sure you obtain all available information. Given that you don’t have the benefits of a first interview again, getting it right first time is vital;
- Be nice to the individual. Playing ‘bad cop’ will fail more times than it will work;
- Work on the ‘innocent until proven guilty’ mentality. If you use this approach you will have a more stable and objective argument when providing your findings;
- Record the interview where possible. This will provide you with the ability to continuously analyse what was said and protect all parties from accusations of inappropriate behaviour;
- Never presume what the person means. A deceitful person will often be vague about what they are telling you so it’s important to confirm what they are saying rather then presume you understand.
The above points assist with what approach to take, but there is also a process you can follow to help you achieve full value from your interview. The following summarises what Don suggested:
So, next time you are trying to obtain information from someone who may be reluctant to provide the details you are after, consider the tips and techniques set out above. Or, if you want to obtain more information on interviewing and detecting deception, contact Lorinda Kelly.
Lorinda Kelly
Associate Director, Forensics
+64 4 470 3749
lorkelly@deloitte.co.nz