In the interview and investigation course, we have learned that there are different concepts in gaining information from individuals. There are usually two concepts to obtain information from the individual, which is interviewing and interrogation. These concepts are designed differently in both their approach and purpose, which many people might get confused because they do not know the differences.
This means they are not the same in any way, which shows there are differences between interviewing and interrogating. Even though there are differences between these two concepts, one thing in common is that they are both used to find out the truth (Gordon & Fleischer 2006). Officers who are in the process interviewing and interrogation must also have the foundation of integrity. In society, there are many police officers or certain law enforcement jobs who use interviewing and interrogation as a tool to find out the truth.
For example, you are an officer who is expected to gain information from a suspect, but this individual does not want you to find out what happened. So, therefore, you as an officer, your job is to interview and interrogate this individual in a healthy manner. Police officers at the end of the day have to find methods and concepts to use the interview and interrogation within the society in a healthy positive manner.
Although they both try to find the truth, there are differences between interviewing and interrogation when considering integrity. In our society, we come across interviewing through applying for jobs or when you’re acquired to finding out the truth. An interview is a process of most of us go through our several times in our lives, especially even if we are not in a career or placement. The interview process is usually a polite conversation between an expert who is in the field and a candidate who is attempting or seeking the desired goal. These desired goals can be jobs, volunteering to give information or an individual is sought to find the truth. In simple terms to give an example of this statement.
Imagine you’re an individual is seeking a job application, you are expected to be prepared to answer questions honesty, show confidence and give the information about yourself. (Admin, 2012) When you are in the process of being interviewed, they will usually ask questions about the skills and traits you possess and you as the person that is being interviewed have to answer. The procedure is of interviewing is a non-threaten conversation. The main goal of interviewing for experts is to ascertain the abilities and capabilities of the candidate (Admin, 2012).
Most experts believe interviewing is a one way to communicate the individual in a healthy manner. You as the person being interviewed you will not feel being in a desperate situation. The fact you have a mindset where you are confident and being able to answer with ease and honesty. The candidate or the participant is expected to have a confident mindset and answer questions with integrity. In other words, the meaning of interview is usually universal and is used for many things in a professional placement.
In addition, an interview is one of the concepts where experts use it to find information but in a non-threatening manner. The individual should be answering questions in an honest manner. In an interview whether you are in the process of assessment, you as the individual need to have integrity. The reason that is to be said is you need to tell the truth because eventually, you cannot lie forever.
Once you are on the job, the person who hired you expects you to do tasks based on how you have stated. For example, if you said you are not coming to work late, but demonstrated that you are did come late, then you have simply lied to the employer that hired you. In this case, you would get dismissed which is why you should have integrity, speak the truth and prove it through your actions. In other words, the purpose of interviewing is to gather as much information about the case from people, as much as possible. They use this concept in order to corroborate information they already have or to develop backgrounds on the witness. The goals and values of interview and interrogation share that. Interrogation is another concept of gaining information, but it is usually used by police officers.
As of interviewing, it is usually used for applications or general base used in society. When you are interrogating someone, you are not making any agreements or acceptance through jobs or placement because the concept is different. This concept is mostly applied to situations where a suspect is being questioned to come up with an answer. The main aspect of interrogation is to force the suspect to confess their doings (Admin, 2012). In order to simplify and to give an example, say the police officer has arrested you because he believes in his or her reasonable grounds that you are the suspect. Once the arrest has been made, you as the suspect are in the process of being interrogated. The police officer will not expect you to answer honestly because anybody can make up false answers or not give accurate information, which is why you will be interrogated in order to find out the truth.
The police officer will simply ask questions meanwhile you’re in that state where it is not as comfortable it should be. (Percy B, personal communication lecture, November 2017). The police officers are trained to know the psychological mind when an individual is being interrogated they will show signs such as body language, the way you are speaking and how you react. (Percy B, personal communication lecture, November 2017). As mentioned you are being interrogated, if you’re indeed the suspect the police officer will know if you are lying or not. As you are being interrogated it will be recorded for personal safety and to make sure if you are speaking the truth.
In other words, you will feel like your soul will be sucked out because you’re in a somewhat situation where you are ”forced’ psychologically ‘ to give the answer and the vibes are usually tense. The reason why the tension in the air is tense is that an interrogation is a tool which is an emotional and psychological warfare between the interrogator and the suspect (Admin, 2012). As mentioned the main objective of this is to make you confess your crimes or the truth behind the case. The thing about interrogation is that it is not a polite, prepared sit-down and formal questions like interviewing.
If the suspect or an individual is near an incident the police officers usually would want to detain. Once the individual is detained they will be questioned by the police officer. Interrogation is usually take placed in a lopsided condition where the interrogator looks like an aggressor and the suspect finds the individual in a desperate situation (Admin, 2012). In the eyes of a police officer, an interrogation is a tool that will dig true information from the suspect. In general, when you are in this kind of process you would want to learn to make the best use of this tool called interrogation in order to secure true and accurate information, from individuals who are suspects, victims, culprits and witnesses (Admin, 2012).
In order to avoid any unnecessary questions, the suspect should whether decide to show integrity. Usually, that is up to the suspect because they do not like speaking the truth of their actions. As for police showing integrity as mentioned earlier, at all times whether it’s an interview or interrogation, integrity should always be within the mindset. Police officers are not to arrest or detain people by making up any random scenarios. For example, you saw a witness within a crime scene, you could not find the criminal who caused the problem so you suspect the witness instead. That kind of policing abuses the police powers and it can lead to problems.
By all means, police should have integrity before you interrogate a suspect and that is needed within the policing. Interviewing and Interrogation have same goals and values but they are both completely different in uses and the concept of gaining information. The interviewer and the interrogator both possess the communication in order to overcome the process of things in life. They are both good listeners, not judgemental, fair and in control of their answers. The two concepts or different ways, is they do not have the same objective. The interviewer will certainly gather information, meanwhile, the interrogator is trying to go for a confession. For example, you are the individual who is coming in for an interview.
The main objective of this interview is to get information out of you. As for interrogation, you will be pressured in a way where the police officer will want you to confess your actions.This shows the differences between interviewing and interrogating.
Usually, the interview is a non-accusatory meanwhile an integration is when the individual is being accused (Gordon & Fleischer 2006).The reason why the interview is a non-accused because they are to be expected to give information but in a positive manner. On another hand the reason why interrogation is used for accused because the police officer believes you have committed something wrong and trying to get all the information from you. In these terms in order to simplify it, basically, you are definitely being treated a lot different. Whether you are interviewing or interrogating someone, you must and should always show integrity. These traits will lead your policing in a healthy manner, it will allow the right people to get in and allow the wrong people to get out.
Whether it is a job, personal conversations, or finding out the truth. So if you are being interviewed you will be treated in a certain way compared to being interrogated. In other words, these two concepts want to find the truth and information but the way they are used is different. Ultimately it is important for police officers or society to understand the concept of interviewing and interrogation. Having this knowledge for police officers is extremely crucial to know the differences is important because you will be asked to whether interview or interrogate in the real world. If it comes to the point where you do not understand or know the differences, it will lead to a misunderstanding. For example, if you are asked to interview an individual but you interrogate them, the person will be confused and it will lead to a misinterpret.
Which means if you attempt this without having the knowledge it may affect your career and shows the lack of understanding of interviewing and interrogating. It does not have to be just police officers but also people in general as well. So then if you know the differences you will expect on how you should be treated and how things work out. Without police officers having to show integrity through the process of interview and interrogation, will give a harder time for overall performance. It may also lead to unnecessary violence of the suspect, which that is something is not needed. For example, you are attacking a suspect because they are not giving you the answers, that is against the law.
Not having integrity leads to deception, it also delays the process of both concepts such as interviewing and interrogating. Usually, the main objective is to find the most accurate information to the fullest extent.(Admin 2012). In order to do that is to demonstrate integrity through policing or in general (Percy B, personal communication lecture, November 2017). Police officers are expected to demonstrate integrity, have the knowledge of their rights and the powers that they can apply in their career In the end knowledge is the key to success in life and it would not lead to a confusion or conflict.
In result without having the ability to know the difference between interviewing and interrogation through the lens of integrity, it will give the community and the police a hard time to find the accurate information.
