Small Talk
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crimes and misdemeanors . 117<br />
get about making a phone call or getting a lawyer. The<br />
captive is forced to give staccato answers just to keep<br />
pace. He is held in custody at the whim of the interrogator,<br />
who, when finished with the questioning, unceremoniously<br />
dumps the captive and moves on to round up<br />
another suspect.<br />
The interrogatory method seldom works to anyone’s<br />
satisfaction. The agent would be much more successful if<br />
he asked open-ended questions requiring more extensive<br />
answers. The detainee would cough up plenty of information<br />
effortlessly if given the opportunity. The agent<br />
also makes the mistake of settling for one- or two-word<br />
answers. Digging deeper could have uncovered motives,<br />
alibis, opportunities, and background information that<br />
would have proved quite helpful in the agent’s quest for<br />
conversation had he asked appropriate, probing questions.<br />
He misses a great opportunity to gain information<br />
by not confessing something about himself first, which<br />
might have caused you to drop your guard and be more<br />
at ease, turning the interrogation into a conversation.<br />
The FBI agent is characterized by his exceptional<br />
nervousness. Help this person out by taking control of<br />
the conversational ball. Ask him an open-ended question.<br />
Follow up—dig deeper and use verbal listening
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