Annotation 2 : The art of interrogation

This short video was collected in a famous crime series, "The Closer",third season, first disc. Its primary intention is to explain the truth behind interrogation, which is the main force of this series. The speakers are consisted of professors of law schools, lawyers, detectives, police officers and producer. Based on their professional background, they introduce the history first, and then tell the audience about some key points about interrogation. The video also contains some snatches of series, in order to prove their introduction practically. Overall, the explanation is persuasive. Here are some important information about interrogation below.


Skoobderski, The Closer Season 3 disk 4, The Art of Interrogation

1. The definition of interrogation- a non-coercive procedure in which a law enforcement officer systematically questions a suspect in order to elicit a confession(偵訊：執法者為求嫌疑犯招供而採取的非強制性訊問程序。)

2.Criminal interrogation has been involved a lot in the United States over the last twenty years. Before the Miranda Right took effect, most of police officers beat the suspect for confession.

Miranda Rights:You have the right to remain silent. Anything that you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you.

3. The art( of interrogation) dimension really required years of experience as well as understanding of human nature or near psychology .It goes beyond anything that you can reduce to a formula put in a book and expect people mechanically to be able to follow.

4. Literally I think an interrogator has to be patient. When you interrogate somebody you can’t expect you can get the confession in two to three minutes like they do on TV. OK? It sometime takes hours and hours, repeated effort. Often time say something same over and over again.

5. Interrogators have to know the background of the suspects first, so they have the basic idea about who are they. During the process of interview, interrogators have to record every tiny facial expressions, gestures, or sound, so that they can know what part of the conversation move the suspects afterward.

The interrogate gesture- Leaning forward and elbows on the knees, palms up.Interview them from about four half to five feet away.

6. Most of the time interrogators are acting. They use may tactics, such as motherly approach, pressing their hands, patting them on the shoulders, and also displayed fully anger, lost control that was contrived. Even though they know the suspects are merely perverted people, they have to pretend they can understand how they feel. But sometime they can go straight, especially when they deal with the gangsters. Police

7. Back to 1969, the Supreme Court say trickery and conceive is ok. Because it won’t in their view by itself cause in missable or involuntary confession. So can a interrogate lie to a suspect? Absolutely. Should he or she lie to a suspect? That’s depends. Interrogators must know their lies pretty well or it will cease the interview when the suspects find out they are deceived.

8. The first thing an good interrogators have to do is getting past about the Miranda issue. Once the suspects ask to have lawyers, interrogators will in a very dangerous water if they try to get the suspects change their minds.

9. Whatever interrogators do, they would not physically abuse or torture people, to get them tell them the truths.

10. People can say a lot of thing, but interrogators still need the independent evidence. Finger prints help. DNA help. Forensic evidence certainly comes a long way. Confession alone is very very dangerous. Innocent people can confess things they didn’t do.