Interrogation is a process of obtaining information from someone involved in a situation or who has helpful information. It is used in criminal cases, military, intelligence agencies, and government applications. Historically, interrogation involved torture, but now psychological techniques are used. The Reid technique is popular in North America. Laws protecting the rights of people being interrogated vary from country to country, and travelers should research the laws in the countries they are visiting.
An interrogation is an interrogation session in which an interrogator attempts to obtain information from someone who they believe is involved in a situation or who may have information that could be helpful. In a well-conducted interrogation, the interrogator remains in control at all times. There are a number of techniques that can be used in interrogation, some of which are highly controversial.
A classic situation where an interrogation might be used is in a criminal case where someone is arrested on suspicion of committing a crime such as murder or rape. The suspect is taken to an interrogation room to be questioned by law enforcement. The goal of law enforcement is to determine whether or not the suspect committed the crime and to gather evidence that can be used in a trial to convict the accused. Interrogation is also used by the military to gather information, by intelligence agencies investigating security issues, and in various other government applications such as internal investigations of government agencies.
Historically, the interrogation has often been brutal. Torture was used to extract information quickly, even if that information was not always accurate. Numerous studies in the 20th century have shown that people will say anything when being tortured if they think their words will stop the torture, which makes this technique less than ideal for cases where law enforcement agencies want to obtain valid information .
Good interrogation practices involve using psychological techniques to keep the interrogated person uncomfortable so that they are more likely to answer questions, without crossing the line into torture and eliciting a false confession. A popular method in North America is the Reid technique, which emphasizes the importance of establishing rapport with the person being interrogated, keeping the interrogation room psychologically hostile, and being very alert to speech patterns and body movements that indicate the questioned person acts deceptively.
Concerns about dubious interrogation practices have led many nations to pass laws protecting the rights of people being interrogated. These rights vary from country to country, and people should familiarize themselves with their rights when questioned so they can be prepared. Travelers especially should research the laws in the countries they are visiting because rights taken for granted in one country cannot be extended to people in another, although foreign nationals are generally entitled to consular representation during questioning.
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