In investigative interviewing, police conduct interviews with suspects or witnesses to gather information on a case. When doing so, they use specific techniques to gain information and for suspects to gain a confession. A major method that is used is the reid technique.
The Reid technique consists of three parts. The factual analysis, behavioral analysis interview, and interrogation (Orlando, n.d.). The factual analysis requires the police officers to gather factual information relating to the crime. Along with that, it evaluates and investigates the suspect themself. So, a factual analysis may look at a suspect’s age, race, social status, marital status, and gender. A factual analysis may also investigate possible motives, evaluate evidence both physical and circumstantial, and consider if the suspect had the opportunity to commit the crime (Orlando, n.d.). Ultimately, the factual analysis assists in gaining a confession during an interrogation.
In terms of the behavioral analysis interview, it is a set of questions that investigators use during an interrogation. The questions are formatted to be non-accusatory and avoid being misleading (Orlando, n.d.). Especially since this can cause the misinformation effect. The misinformation effect refers to an individual recalling a disrupted memory due to leading information provided by someone else (Gruman, 2016). The behavior analysis begins with background questions that lead to more provoking questions. Investigators do this, so they are able to distinguish differing behavior and determine if a suspect is being deceitful.
On the other hand, the interrogation itself only occurs if an investigator is reasonably certain of a suspect’s guilt. Once an investigator is positive of a suspect’s, the interrogation stage can occur. Within the interrogation stage, there’s 9 steps. Steps range from a positive confrontation with the suspect to an oral and written confession (Orlando, n.d.). In essence, the three components of the Reid technique assist in investigators gaining information about a case and a confession by a suspect.
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (Eds.). (2016). Applied social psychology: Understanding and addressing social and practical problems. SAGE Publications, Incorporated.
Orlando, J. (n.d.). Interrogation techniques. Connecticut General Assembly . https://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/2014-R-0071.htm
I completely agree with your response and I too believe that using Reid techniques is not an efficient way to interview a suspect. Furthermore, Reid technique involves using behavioral cues such as “gaze aversions and posture shifts” which are not good indicators of a whether someone is lying or not (Gruman et al., 2016). In fact, a better way to access whether someone is lying or not is by focusing on what they say (Gruman et al., 2016).
A better alternative to Reid technique is Cognitive interview. Cognitive interview involves asking “open-ended and nonleading questions, and using strategic silence” (Gruman et al). Unlike Reid technique, Cognitive interview does not focus on aggressive tactics which for example “include repeated accusations and statements of the certainty of the suspect’s guilt” (Gruman et al., 2016). In order to avoid bias and false-confessions, it is best that police officers use Cognitive interview techniques. Furthermore, using an evidence-based technique will allow officers to gain factual information from suspects and allow suspects to be treated fairly.
Resources: Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506353968
Reid technique may seem reliable but unfortunately it has been criticized for its “potential to induce false confessions” (Financial Crime Academy, 2024). While the technique does involve multiple parts, it has not always shown successful results. On the other hand, cognitive interview techniques have shown to be a lot more reliable and efficient in collecting factual information.
Cognitive interview consists of 4 stages which are, “reinstate the context, recall events in reverse order, report everything they can remember” and “describe events from someone else’s point of view” ( Mcleod, 2023). These stages allow an individual to retrieve their memories through different strategies. Contrarily, behavioral cues to deception taught to police officers through Reid technique are “not good indicators of whether someone is lying or telling the truth, including, for example, gaze aversions and posture shifts” (Gruman et al., 2016).
Furthermore, in my opinion using Reid technique increases the chances of officers being biased because of the factual analysis stage. This stage involves “establishing an estimate of a particular suspect’s probable guilt or innocence based on such things as the suspect’s bio-social status (gender, race, occupation, marital status, etc.)” (Orlando, n.d.).While the stage also involves looking at a suspects motives and evidence, the suspects bio-social status could be enough for officers to form a confirmation bias. Confirmation bias involves seeking out information that confirms an individuals belief while they tend to ignore information that goes against their belief (Gruman et al., 2016). Interviews are a crucial process in determining whether a suspect is guilty or not, therefore officers need to cautious with the techniques they use.
Overall, Cognitive techniques involve retrieving information without using aggressive tactics. This not only reduces bias but also allows the interviewee to trust the interviewer. While police officers may have made it a habit to use Reid technique, it is important that they start applying Cognitive interview techniques to gain better and more reliable results that will not lead to false-confessions.
References:
Financial Crime Academy. (2024, February 6). Unveiling the difference between interview and interrogation. Financial Crime Academy. https://financialcrimeacademy.org/interviews-and-interrogations/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20Reid%20Technique%20has,to%20questioning%20in%20criminal%20investigations.
Gruman, J. A., Schneider, F. W., & Coutts, L. M. (2016). Applied Social Psychology (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506353968
Mcleod, S., PhD. (2023). Cognitive Interview technique. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive-interview.html
Orlando, J. (n.d.). Interrogation techniques. Connecticut General Assembly . https://www.cga.ct.gov/2014/rpt/2014-R-0071.htm
The Reid technique’s architects likely had had noble goals, and believed in its efficacy. Yet, the copious critiques leveled against it in scholarly research over the past several decades—research that stands in stark contrast to the Reid technique as it is rigorously peer-reviewed and empirically backed—suggest otherwise (Chen, 2021). Social psychologists have consistently raised concerns about the technique’s efficacy and ethics since its inception. Despite defenses from its proponents, there appears to be a lack of empirical evidence endorsing its continued use.
A key point for us, as students of social psychology, is the behavioral analysis aspect of the Reid technique. It’s highly unlikely—even for mental health professionals adept at deciphering verbal and nonverbal cues—to infallibly distinguish lies from truths based solely on behavior. So, how can police investigators, often with minimal training in this area, be expected to do so accurately? To suggest they can is to underestimate the challenge.
Implicit bias, an inherent aspect of the human condition, affects even the most distinguished professionals across psychology and neuroscience fields, rendering them unable to reliably identify deception. Recognizing these limitations and potential for bias exist within even the most decorated professionals should foster humility among investigators attempting to take on work they are not qualified to do. Law enforcement officials face tough tasks, but this does not justify the use of coercive and deceptive techniques to extract confessions. The inherent power dynamics at play during interrogations further increase the risk of false confessions. Our criminal justice system must do better than continuing to utilize the outdated pseudoscience of the Reid technique.
Reference:
Chen, A. (2021). The ineffectiveness of the Reid technique in law enforcement interrogations and how a non-accusatory model of interview can be applied in law enforcement interviews in the United States. Honors College Theses, (321). Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/honorscollege_theses/321