8. CLOSING THE INTERVIEW.
a. When the investigator ends his interview, he should show his appreciation for
the subject's help.
This applies not only to interviewees who have been helpful
from the beginning of the interview; it also applies to those who first had to be
encouraged and motivated to give information.
No promises or hints of
confidentiality should be given.
b. The time required in closing the interview may sometimes be used to get more
information. A reluctant subject may tend to drop his guard after the questioning
has ceased and the investigator has put his notebook away.
The person who has
withheld important facts during the interview may mention such facts during the
period just afterward.
By careful handling of the subject, you may get the very
facts that had escaped you during the interview.
c. If the person has traveled far to be interviewed, help him to arrange and
schedule his travel home, or to secure repayment of funds when authorized.
Such
action promotes future help.
9. EVALUATING THE INTERVIEW.
During and right after closing the interview, try to evaluate the interviewee,
the information, and your own performance.
a. The Interviewee. The mannerisms and emotional state of the person during the
interview may provide a clue as to the reliability of his information.
If he is
hesitant, evasive, or unwilling to give information about details of an incident,
this may mean he is not cooperating to the fullest extent.
Physical evidence of
nervousness, such as constant wetting of the lips, may indicate an attempt at
deception. Flushing of, and perspiration on, the face may indicate the seriousness
which he attaches to the points being discussed. They may also indicate that he is
not giving complete information.
Some persons, however, are able to lie without
displaying any noticeable outward signs.
Moreover, innocent persons sometimes
display noticeable signs of extreme nervousness.
For these reasons, and for the
added reason that you might misinterpret such physical signs, the information given
cannot be evaluated conclusively by your evaluation of the interviewee. Therefore,
seek and interview persons who have known the interviewee for some time. This will
enable you to substantiate or to eliminate inferences gained from signs of
emotional disturbance shown during the interview.
b. The Information.
The information received during the interview has no real
value until it is properly evaluated, and, if possible, checked for accuracy and
truthfulness, as follows:
(1) The information should be compared with information received from others
interviewed.
(2) Conflicting statements about the same case should be compared, both in
general and in particular.
Conflicting statements should be compared with the
known facts of the case and considered against the background
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