Professional Standards for Interviewers The purpose of the interview and interrogation process is to identify the guilty party and to learn the truth about an event. In the majority of investigations, multiple people know who is guilty, and in 100% of the cases, at least one person knows who is guilty. The perpetrator is the most important witness in a case, and he or she knows exactly what occurred and the circumstances surrounding an event. It is important that investigators in both the private and public sector receive continuous training on conducting interviews and interrogations, and understand the fundamentals of the interview process. In an investigation, learning the truth through confessions can be very important. Equally important to confessions is ensuring that such confessions are legally obtained. Unless information obtained from a suspect or witness can be considered by a judge, hearing officer or jury, a confession is of no value as evidence. The Center for Interviewer Standards and Assessment has created a certification program for interviewers with comprehensive and universally accepted professional standards and principles for both public and private sector investigators. The certification program combines such standards with an objective measure of an interviewer’s knowledge of those standards. A Certified Forensic Interviewer shall adhere to the code of ethics and standards of practice set forth by the Center for Interviewer Standards and Assessment. Click on the following link to learn more about the Center for Interviewer Standards and Assessment: |
