Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

1. Preparation: Agents are urged to become thoroughly acquainted
with the case and the subject’s background prior to entering the
interview room.
2. Introduction: Agents introduce themselves to the suspect and
explain to him/her the nature of the interview.
3. Rapport Building: As is explained below, rapport building is
the cornerstone of the FBI’s entire interview/interrogation
process. During this stage, investigators attempt to build a good
relationship with subjects.
4. Questioning: The agent asks the subject questions following what
the FBI calls a deductive funnel. This method of questioning
starts with open-ended questions meant to foster narration on
the part of the subject, followed by more closed questions such
as indicator questions, identification questions, multiple choice
questions, and leading (yes or no) questions.
5. Verification: Having concluded the questioning, the agent
reviews everything the suspect has told him/her for accuracy
and further recall.
6. Catch all: The agent allows the suspect to add anything he/she
considers relevant or absent from his/her prior statements.
7. Departure: If the suspect will not be interrogated, arrested,
or otherwise detained after the interview, the agent makes
arrangements for future contact.
8. Critique: The agent evaluates the information obtained in light
of the interview goals.
Though seemingly rigid, FBI Academy staff emphasized that this interview
approach is meant as a roadmap rather than a strict list, and should be adapted as
the situation requires.
FBI training emphasizes the importance of a non-accusatory pre-interrogation
interview for a number of reasons. First, the interview provides interrogators
with a behavioral baseline against which to evaluate the suspect’s subsequent
behavior and responses (both verbal and non-verbal) during the confrontational
interrogation. Second, it provides investigators with the suspect’s version of the
events, which could later be used during interrogation to point out contradictions
or lies. Finally, FBI staff noted that the pre-interrogation interview functions as
the first contact between interrogator and suspect and, given its non-accusatory
nature, offers a fertile opportunity to begin establishing rapport with the suspect.
After the pre-interrogation interview, the agents transition into the actual
interrogation, which, as mentioned above, follows the Bureau’s Direct Accusation
Approach. Though not formulated as a strict step-based process, the method can
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