To begin when it comes to law enforcement officers and to the training they receive in the area of interviewing and interrogation many are left guessing as to what formal training they actually receive. This creates confusion as to which methods are implemented by law enforcement officers during the interviewing and or interrogation process of individuals and to the degree in which they are used (Cleary & Warner, 2016). More importantly, many are left asking if the interviewing and interrogation techniques used by law enforcement with adults are the same when it comes to juvenile suspects.Training for law enforcement officers in the area of interviewing and interrogation methods have little to no known research findings (Cleary & Warner, 2016).
With that said there are some formal methods used for training law enforcement in the area of interviewing and interrogation. First, is the Reid Technique, this method involves the officer to look for specific verbal and nonverbal cues to determine if the individual being interviewed is telling the truth or not (Cleary & Warner, 2016). The Reid Technique revolves around the officer using argumentative tactics to ultimately obtain the truth/confession from a suspect (Cleary & Warner, 2016). The second method of training law enforcement officers in interviewing and interrogation is the PEACE model. The PEACE model instructs law enforcement offices to apply a non-accusatory method to their interviewing and interrogating methods which greatly differs from that of the Reid Technique (Cleary & Warner, 2016).
The PEACE model takes a different route by using an investigative-interviewing tactic to allows for new facts supplied from a suspect to be then compared to that of the suspect’s original statements along with any and all evidence (Cleary ; Warner, 2016). As the last example of the different methods used for training law enforcement officers in interviewing and interrogation, there is the ChildFirst method. This method differs from other methods as it specifically centers around juvenile victims or witnesses (Cleary ; Warner, 2016). This calls for the juvenile in the matter to be forensically interviewed as a way to gain as much information as possible (Cleary ; Warner, 2016). This method looks to incorporate the non-accusatory approach as well (Cleary ; Warner, 2016).
Also, to note many officers can and do receive so-called informal training pertaining to interviewing and interrogation techniques as they work and learn the job (Cleary ; Warner, 2016).When it comes to the manner in which adults and juveniles are interviewed or interrogated there are not as many differences as one would hope to see. Research has shown that juveniles are subjected to the same interrogation techniques as adult suspects are (Cleary ; Warner, 2016).
This has raised many questions and concerns as juveniles have been found to be more susceptible to some of the more psychologically coercive interrogation techniques (Cleary ; Warner, 2016). This can be due to the juveniles overall mental development compared to that of adults (Cleary ; Warner, 2016). This can have damaging effects on both the juveniles being interviewed/interrogated and law enforcement as well.
