Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

10
Options for Scientific Research on
Eduction Practices
Paul Lehner, Ph.D.
The MITRE Corporation
November 2005
Abstract
Eduction practices are methods, techniques, procedures, strategies, etc.,
employed as part of interviews and interrogations to draw out information
from subjects, some of whom may initially be unwilling to provide information.
Obviously educed information can provide an important source of
HUMINT. Surprisingly, the last forty years have seen almost no scientific
research examining eduction practices. Rather, our current knowledge is
based on feedback and lessons learned from field experience. The “interrogation
approaches” taught in standard interrogation training (e.g., Army
Field Manual 34-52) have remained largely unchanged since World War
II.
This paper argues two points: first, that scientific investigation of eduction
practices is needed to supplement lessons learned from field experience,
and second, that various research venues are available to examine these
practices. Research approaches could include both retrospective analyses
of data about past interrogations (including those that used harsh methods)
and new studies that relate different eduction practices to the value of information
obtained.
Need for Scientific Investigation of Eduction Practices
As noted above, current knowledge of eduction practices is based on
experience. However, considerable historical and scientific evidence suggests
that expertise and experience provide an insufficient basis for determining the
effectiveness of practices when experts subjectively evaluate their own practices.
To illustrate, consider the case of a procedure to alleviate psychiatric disorders
that emerged from the medical community in the 1930s. According to one early
study, 121 out of 133 patients either “improved” or “improved somewhat”; in
another 153 patients improved, while 73 remained the same or got worse. On the
basis of these encouraging results the procedure gained in popularity; it was used
until the late 1960s to treat thousands of patients. The pioneer of the procedure
received the 1949 Nobel prize in medicine. The procedure Lobotomy.
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