The Reid Technique

Cultural

-Eye Contact (politeness)

-Ex. Panini case: Indians avoid body contact publicly, even hand shaking, and consider eye-contact equal to body contact.

“When Indians are accused of something, they evidence extreme nervousness, body twitching, and downward glances. They are ashamed of being so ill-thought-of and become quiet, passive, and helplessly humble.”

Chase, the interrogator, marked lack of eye contact in Panini as deception, because manual states if having eye contact 30%-60% of the time, then truthful.

Behavior Provoking Questions

The Reid Technique:

Nine Steps of Interrogation

Punishment: “Jim, what do you think should happen to the person who killed the hamster?”

Think: “Jim, did you ever think about killing the hamster even though you didn’t go through with it?”

Investigation: “Jim, how do you think this investigation will come out on you?”

Second Chance: “Jim, do you think the person who did this or the kind of person that would kill a hamster should be given a second chance?”

Bait: “Jim, is there any reason why your fingerprints would be on the hamster’s cage?”

1. Direct positive confrontation

Confrontation question - pause for reaction - transition to theme development

2. Theme development

Reasons and motives to psychologically justify the suspect’s (S) criminal behavior. The theme is developed as to why the S committed the act, not if he committed it.

3. Handling denials

(Truthful suspects do not move beyond step three)

Social

-Professionals (ex. Academics) elaborate broadly on topics with which they are familiar with; therefore extreme detail.

-Chase marked Panini’s statements as “deceitful”

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Embedded-Only/News/The+National/Confessions/ID/2248633767/

The Reid Technique: Nine Steps of Interrogation

Individual

-Does not call for a baseline knowledge of suspect’s verbal and non-verbal behaviors to use as comparison in actual interrogation.

-Even the polygraph has a baseline.

Reid Technique Ignores Cultural, Social, Individual Differences

FALSE CONFESSIONS

The Armishaw Interrogation

6. Handling suspect’s passive mood

Intensification of the theme, shortening and underlying the essential elements. Introduction of the components of the alternative question while remaining in close proximity.

7. Presenting an alternative question

The suspect is offered two incriminating choices concerning an aspect of the crime: desirable (good reason) and an undesirable action (bad reason). Followed by interrogator’s supporting statement.

• Guilt-presumptive nature of technique

4. Overcoming objections

Statement of agreement followed by discussion of the bad outcome in the case of untruthful objection

Introduction - drawing out objection - objection - positive discussion - negative discussion

5.Procurement and retention of suspect’s attention

Interrogator regains the suspect's attention by intensifying the theme and by establishing physical closeness. Physical gestures of sincerity are used to establish attitude of understanding.

The Reid Techique: Nine Steps of Interrogation

• Various features of interrogation may lead innocent suspects to confess

1. Misclassification: interrogator attributes deception to truthful suspects

8. Having suspect relate the various details of the offense

Acceptance of the alternative - open ended questions to obtain the details, corroboration

9. Converting an oral confession into a written confession

a. Using third party to witness the oral confession

b. Written confession by the suspect

c. Written confession by the interrogator

d. Recorded written confession

e. Written confession taken down by stenographer

2. Coercion: including psychological manipulation

a. threatening inevitable consequences

b. making promises of leniency

c. denying suspect’s rights (p. 143; Panini asked to waive rights before

situation was explained)

3. Contamination: interrogator presents non-public information to

suspect; suspect incorporates that info in the confession (specific event knowledge)

Deceptive Individual

Attitude

Non-Verbal

Overly anxious

Verbal

Erratic & rapid

SPC on key

questions

Defensive

Answers too

early

Frequent gestures,

barriered posture

Unconcerned

Mental blocks,

challenges

unjust anger

Rigor & immobile

The Problem with "it"

Evasive

Avoids realistic

words

Slouched, overly casual, lacks frontal alignment

* It's ambiguous

Overly polite

Specific Details,

"I don't know",

"I don't remember",

one word answers

Questioning Reid Technique & It's Questions

Insincere tone of

voice

Guarded

= giving Omoto cell research advice

Qualifies answers

Hands over mouth

or eyes

Qualifies answers,

refers to God or religion

= tampering with Omoto's cells

*Mostly comprised of yes/no Qs - why?

~ lack of open-ended & wh- Qs

*No chance for suspect to produce uninterrupted narrative

Conclusion

The antecedent needs to be specified by both parties to establish a clear understanding between parties and avoid ambiguity

* Why are 10/14 Qs are opinion based?

*Police are allowed to play lie detector

~Shuy is against this 100% (p.69)

~ New Yorker article - "The Interview"

The Reid Technique

Another Problem with Panini's Case

*Chase asked Panini to sign waiver of rights before beginning the interview / interrogation

"This violates the accepted practice of gathering information before reading the subject his or her rights and subsequently interrogating."

Interview:

- designed to obtain behavior characteristics rather than actual facts

- multifunctionality might skew the results

Interrogation:

- Retention of "friendliness"

- Covert assumption of guilt throughout the 9 steps

List of clues to deception offered by MacDonald and Michaud: (p.46)

Brief answers

Excessively delayed answers

Repeating the question

Rephrasing the question

Hesitation in answering

Memory problems

Qualified answers

References to honesty

References to religion

Softening terms of violence and theft

Speaking in the third person

Overpoliteness or irritability

Short-lived anger

Behavior Symptom Analysis

Behavior Interview

Reid 9 Step Interrogation

Truthful Individual

Verbal

The Reid technique can be a helpful tool in, but only as a starting point

* Too many individual differences to account for

* Relying on non-verbal cues can be dangerous

Non-Verbal

Attitude

Reasonable

Answers

Smooth Posture

Changes

Composed

Smooth tone of voice and speech

Open gestures,

good eye to eye

Concerned

Complete & Clear Answers

Maintains frontal

alignment

Cooperative

Uses realistic

words

“We must all face the choice between what is right and what is easy.” - Albus Dumbledore

Leans Forward

Direct &

Spontaneous

Volunteers information. No long delays

Open Palms

Sincere

Direct, credible

responses

Upright, open,

casual

Open

The Reid Technique

Natalia Dolbneva * Tina Lesziewicz

Elena Naumova * Allison Nichols

& Highlights from CID chapter 8 and the Panini case