Many officers and investigators have been trained to interview people and write statements for them as opposed to having the individual write the statement themselves. There are many problems with this...
To understand WHY this is a problem, check out the following article: http://bit.ly/1jX23O
If you cannot view it from that link, go the the Interview and Interrogation Group at http://www.lies.igroops.com for info and resources.
All my best,
Wes
http://www.truthsleuth.com
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Check out LIES on Facebook and find out more about our training and services
Check out LIES Linguistic Interrogation Expert Services on Facebook and learn more about our company, training events, discussions and more related to:
- Interview and Interrogation
- Investigative Interviewing
- Criminal Interrogation
- Investigative Statement Analysis
- Credibility Assessment
Click the Facebook logo above or the following link: http://tinyurl.com/yzst94n
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Interviewing, interrogation, statement analysis
Training in investigative statement analysis, interview and interrogation techniques, credibility assessment, detecting deception.
Check out L.I.E.S. Linguistic Interrogation Expert Services at http://www.truthsleuth.com
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Interviewing people under stress or crisis
What have you found successful in interviewing people who experienced or witnessed very traumatic events? Often times when they are stressed or emotional people cannot communicate effectively. As investigators, we are often called to situations where we have to interview people who are emotional, stressed-out or shutting down due to the traumatic event. What advice would you offer to an investigator in such sithations? Click the following link and let us know!
http://bit.ly/19FSAq
Thanks,
Wes Clark
http://www.truthsleuth.com/
http://www.lies.igroops.com/
http://bit.ly/19FSAq
Thanks,
Wes Clark
http://www.truthsleuth.com/
http://www.lies.igroops.com/
Monday, August 31, 2009
Techniques to assess lies and truthfulness
What are some techniques you use to determine if someone lied or told the truth? Many people have had training in interrogation techniques, interview strategies or have read books, articles and websites on interview and interrogation techniques and training. But are the techniques people have been taught reliable in distinguishing between lies and truthfulness?
Take the brief assessment on assessing deception and honesty. Click HERE to listen to an audio postcard and to get the link for the questionnaire. If you are anxious to provide your insight, you can also skip right to the questionnaire by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/l3jko4
Keep in touch!
Wes Clark
http://www.truthsleuth.com
http://www.lies.igroops.com
Take the brief assessment on assessing deception and honesty. Click HERE to listen to an audio postcard and to get the link for the questionnaire. If you are anxious to provide your insight, you can also skip right to the questionnaire by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/l3jko4
Keep in touch!
Wes Clark
http://www.truthsleuth.com
http://www.lies.igroops.com
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Can People Believe Their Own Lies?
Is is possible for someone to commit a crime and lie to the point that they actually believe they didn't do it? If so, what happened to their memory of committing the crime? Can that memory be accessed? Listen to the audio blog here http://bit.ly/TQH1C for more information, and let's hear from you on this interesting topic of believing your own lies!
Also, LIES Linguistic Interrogation Expert Services is conducting training on Investigative Statement Analysis and Cognitive Interviewing on June 11th and 12th at the Bristol Police Department in Connecticut. Check it out under "training" at www.truthsleuth.com
Also, LIES Linguistic Interrogation Expert Services is conducting training on Investigative Statement Analysis and Cognitive Interviewing on June 11th and 12th at the Bristol Police Department in Connecticut. Check it out under "training" at www.truthsleuth.com
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Interview and Interrogation info on Twitter
For those of you who use Twitter, I will post things relating to interview and interrogation, deception or personal development...or just random thoughts (not that there isn't enough random thoughts on Twitter!) If you are interested, you can follow me at http://twitter.com/WesClark
Wes Clark
http://www.truthsleuth.com
http://www.lies.igroops.com
Wes Clark
http://www.truthsleuth.com
http://www.lies.igroops.com
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Statement Analysis: Beyond the Written Statement
Law enforcement agencies within the United States, as well as throughout the world, have made dramatic improvements within their technology, equipment, training and tactics over the last several years; it has certainly been that way during my 22 years of service and personal experience within the field of law enforcement. Advancements within the area of criminal investigation have also improved the quality and accuracy relating to the identification, collection, preservation and examination of physical evidence. Advancements in DNA technology has convicted many individuals who may have gone free otherwise, and it has also set free many individuals who have been wrongfully convicted of a crime; some of whom have escaped being put to death for crimes they didn’t commit. In addition, forensic databases for DNA, fingerprints, ballistics and others have truly enhanced the way investigators solve crimes.
There is no doubt about it; policing today is different than it was 10, 15, or 20-plus years ago. However, one thing still remains; we need to obtain information from people such as complainants, victims, witnesses, suspects and informants. With the advancements in the “high-tech” world of policing, we must ensure that our “high-touch” skills, those skills necessary to deal effectively with the human element of every case, do not go by the wayside. These skills encompass the ability to develop and maintain rapport with people, ask appropriate information-gathering questions, and assess verbal, non-verbal, and behavioral indicators of truth and deception as well as paralinguistic information. We must be able to gather this information and make assessments and judgments to direct our investigations, and we must be able to distinguish the differences between truthful and deceptive information, as well as when the information is completely true but incomplete.
Throughout the United States and Europe, as well as countries around the world, an emerging technique to effectively gather information from people and assess for veracity and completeness of the information is the process of Investigative Statement Analysis. This is the systematic analysis of the words used by an individual whether written or spoken. Unfortunately, many people within law enforcement do not understand the value that training in Investigative Statement Analysis brings to any investigative inquiry, going beyond the written statement itself.
Some people are under the belief that the only application of Investigative Statement Analysis is having the suspect write out a statement of his own volition, and then analyze it for indicators of deception. That certainly is very effective, but it is a very limited view of the power and value of Investigative Statement Analysis. The principles of this technique can be applied to victim and witness statements, court transcripts, e-mails, memos and other documents, and most importantly, applied during any investigative interview or criminal interrogation.
When an investigator is trained to ask appropriate, effective questions and is tuned into what the individual actually says, and is not misled by pragmatic implications, they have an enormous advantage during their interviews and interrogations. They will have greater focus and be able to direct their questioning within the areas most likely to produce the desired result; the result being a clear understanding of the truth regarding the incident under investigation.
During the investigation of a double homicide for instance, a possible suspect was interviewed, and during the course of that interview he stated, “I was watching TV around 7:00 and the next thing I knew my alarm went off and I got up for work.” Understanding that this is a ‘red flag’ and a clear indication of missing information, we were able to focus our questioning on this area, which coincidentally occurred at the time when we knew the crime was committed. Actually, it was not coincidence at all, but a subconscious attempt on the subject’s part to establish an alibi in the hopes that we would rule him out as a possible suspect of this horrific crime. We did not ask where he was at a specific time, just for him to tell us everything that happened form the time he got up until the time he ended his day, and when his language had indicators of missing information in addition to him putting in the time of the crime at the point where there was missing information, we knew we had a good suspect. Ultimately the individual confessed to repeatedly stabbing his girlfriend and his 4-month old son.
An excellent example of a written application of Investigative Statement Analysis occurred recently within a police agency in Eastern Connecticut. A couple officers from that agency attended a training session Sergeant Jim Kline and I provided on Investigative Statement Analysis. Within three days of receiving training, one of the officers was assigned to an armed robbery and was tasked with interviewing the victim. He stated prior to the interview he asked the victim to write down everything that happened and obtained an open statement as discussed in training. Within minutes he had the victim’s account of the armed robbery, and the officer immediately picked up on various points indicating a possible fabricated account. The victim was interviewed further and ultimately admitted that the armed robbery was in fact fabricated.
Just from these two examples we can see the value of Investigative Statement Analysis by applying it to an account of a crime and having the subject write down everything that happened, and also by approaching an investigative interview and interrogation with the knowledge and understanding of the principles of Investigative Statement Analysis. Most people will certainly agree that the more information and training we have, and the more tools on our proverbial “tool belt”, the more effective we will be in conducting our investigations. Training in Investigative Statement Analysis is certainly one of the tools that can be applied in virtually all of our investigations, because all of our investigations involve that one common element…people.
Wes
http://www.truthsleuth.com
http://www.lies.igroops.com
There is no doubt about it; policing today is different than it was 10, 15, or 20-plus years ago. However, one thing still remains; we need to obtain information from people such as complainants, victims, witnesses, suspects and informants. With the advancements in the “high-tech” world of policing, we must ensure that our “high-touch” skills, those skills necessary to deal effectively with the human element of every case, do not go by the wayside. These skills encompass the ability to develop and maintain rapport with people, ask appropriate information-gathering questions, and assess verbal, non-verbal, and behavioral indicators of truth and deception as well as paralinguistic information. We must be able to gather this information and make assessments and judgments to direct our investigations, and we must be able to distinguish the differences between truthful and deceptive information, as well as when the information is completely true but incomplete.
Throughout the United States and Europe, as well as countries around the world, an emerging technique to effectively gather information from people and assess for veracity and completeness of the information is the process of Investigative Statement Analysis. This is the systematic analysis of the words used by an individual whether written or spoken. Unfortunately, many people within law enforcement do not understand the value that training in Investigative Statement Analysis brings to any investigative inquiry, going beyond the written statement itself.
Some people are under the belief that the only application of Investigative Statement Analysis is having the suspect write out a statement of his own volition, and then analyze it for indicators of deception. That certainly is very effective, but it is a very limited view of the power and value of Investigative Statement Analysis. The principles of this technique can be applied to victim and witness statements, court transcripts, e-mails, memos and other documents, and most importantly, applied during any investigative interview or criminal interrogation.
When an investigator is trained to ask appropriate, effective questions and is tuned into what the individual actually says, and is not misled by pragmatic implications, they have an enormous advantage during their interviews and interrogations. They will have greater focus and be able to direct their questioning within the areas most likely to produce the desired result; the result being a clear understanding of the truth regarding the incident under investigation.
During the investigation of a double homicide for instance, a possible suspect was interviewed, and during the course of that interview he stated, “I was watching TV around 7:00 and the next thing I knew my alarm went off and I got up for work.” Understanding that this is a ‘red flag’ and a clear indication of missing information, we were able to focus our questioning on this area, which coincidentally occurred at the time when we knew the crime was committed. Actually, it was not coincidence at all, but a subconscious attempt on the subject’s part to establish an alibi in the hopes that we would rule him out as a possible suspect of this horrific crime. We did not ask where he was at a specific time, just for him to tell us everything that happened form the time he got up until the time he ended his day, and when his language had indicators of missing information in addition to him putting in the time of the crime at the point where there was missing information, we knew we had a good suspect. Ultimately the individual confessed to repeatedly stabbing his girlfriend and his 4-month old son.
An excellent example of a written application of Investigative Statement Analysis occurred recently within a police agency in Eastern Connecticut. A couple officers from that agency attended a training session Sergeant Jim Kline and I provided on Investigative Statement Analysis. Within three days of receiving training, one of the officers was assigned to an armed robbery and was tasked with interviewing the victim. He stated prior to the interview he asked the victim to write down everything that happened and obtained an open statement as discussed in training. Within minutes he had the victim’s account of the armed robbery, and the officer immediately picked up on various points indicating a possible fabricated account. The victim was interviewed further and ultimately admitted that the armed robbery was in fact fabricated.
Just from these two examples we can see the value of Investigative Statement Analysis by applying it to an account of a crime and having the subject write down everything that happened, and also by approaching an investigative interview and interrogation with the knowledge and understanding of the principles of Investigative Statement Analysis. Most people will certainly agree that the more information and training we have, and the more tools on our proverbial “tool belt”, the more effective we will be in conducting our investigations. Training in Investigative Statement Analysis is certainly one of the tools that can be applied in virtually all of our investigations, because all of our investigations involve that one common element…people.
Wes
http://www.truthsleuth.com
http://www.lies.igroops.com
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The Power of Words
When we teach Investigative Statement Analysis, we stress the value and importance of looking at the words the individual uses, as opposed to getting caught up in a myriad of non-verbal confusion. Don't get me wrong, we have to evaluate everything that occurs within the setting of an investigative interview, but the word choices people make can truly reflect their inner thoughts. As Noam Chomsky stated "By close inspection of the words, phrases and sentences a person uses we can gain insight into how various subconscious processes are inter-working to generate verbal data that signifies that person's thoughts." The value of the spoken word should not be overlooked. And to get another perspective on the power of your words, check out the blog post http://caniwarrior.com/?p=23
Stay safe, and if you are interested in joining a group of professionals dedicated to investigative interviewing, criminal interrogations, detecting deception, credibility assessment and human communication, check out the Interview and Interrogation Group at http://www.lies.igroops.com
Wes
Stay safe, and if you are interested in joining a group of professionals dedicated to investigative interviewing, criminal interrogations, detecting deception, credibility assessment and human communication, check out the Interview and Interrogation Group at http://www.lies.igroops.com
Wes
Friday, February 27, 2009
Lie Detection and Eye Contact
There are many law enforcement officers who have been trained and are continuing to be trained that by looking at the eye movements of the individual they are talking with it is possible to tell when the individual is lying and when they are telling the truth. This is bases upon NLP (Neurolinguistic Programing) which is a great tool for communication and certain types of therapy, but it is NOT effective in detecting deception. There have been many studies which have tested this theory, and none of them have supported the belief that NLP and certain eye movements (left/right) are indicative of deception.
For more on this and other aspects of interview and interrogation, check out the Interview and Interrogation Group at http://www.lies.igroops.com
Wes Clark
For more on this and other aspects of interview and interrogation, check out the Interview and Interrogation Group at http://www.lies.igroops.com
Wes Clark
Saturday, January 24, 2009
"The Interrogation Station" Podcast
The Interrogation Station is a dynamic podcast where experts in the field of interview and interrogation, statement analysis, deception, and credibility assessment are interviewed. There have been several interviews to date, the latest in January 2009 with Mark McClish. He is a United States Marshal and the author of "I know You Are Lying", which is a great book on statement analysis. Check out what he has to say about this fascinating area! Go to http://www.interrogationpodcast.com
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