Interrogators obtain information from suspects using psychological and physical techniques, but torture is controversial and can lead to abuses of power. Psychological tactics involve gaining the trust of the source. Interrogation can save lives, but some find it repugnant. Interrogators are highly trained and must be at peace with their job.
An interrogator is a police or government official tasked with obtaining information from certain people by asking questions. Non-suspected witnesses or victims are typically not questioned by interrogators, as these officers tend to work more with suspects or potential suspects. Interrogators employ a variety of psychological and sometimes physical techniques in order to get individuals to honestly and completely disclose any information. The work of an interrogator is controversial and can lead to serious abuses of power in some cases. Many interrogators argue that violence and torture are not good methods of obtaining accurate information and that gaining a source’s trust and respect can be more beneficial than gaining fear.
For centuries, interrogation was synonymous with torture. Employing physical pain, early interrogators could obtain confessions and information from broken suspects. Most torture interrogations were completely legal and considered only punishment, particularly in times of war. Unfortunately, the downside of physical torture is its imprecision. Prisoners and suspects often confessed to crimes they did not commit, even though they fully knew the resulting sentence would be death. It’s understandable, when looking at devices like the rack, that death might seem like a worthy price to stop the daily pain of breaking bones.
As espionage has become an increasingly vital part of government operations, the accuracy of interrogation results has become critical to the safety of government agents. Aside from some moral qualms about torturing potentially innocent people, practicality suggested that it would be easier and more humane for all involved if confessions or details were not dragged out of sources through pain. Many governments adopted bans on extreme forms of physical torture in the 20th century, although loopholes allow for the use of “physical discomfort” such as sleep deprivation.
Aside from torture, an interrogator has many techniques available to gain cooperation from hostile and possibly dangerous sources. Many of these tactics are psychological in nature and involve putting the source in a vulnerable and confused state where they can develop a trusting relationship with the interrogator. As the source becomes more and more detached from the world and any sense of life outside confinement, their interrogator may become their only link to possible freedom and the outside world. Using this vulnerability, an interrogator can begin to gather information.
Some people find the job of an interrogator inherently repugnant, even without the application of physical torture. The use of threats, manipulations, and deception on a human being in order to trick him into giving out information, it seems that detractors are cold-hearted and cruel. However, the information obtained by an interrogator can save lives, solve crimes, prevent attacks, and protect military personnel and civilians alike. Those who favor psychological interrogation tactics suggest that the information is worth the price of humiliation and fear, although many draw the line in blood.
An interrogator must be at peace with the demands of his job in order to do it well. They are usually highly trained military personnel, fluent in multiple languages and trained to read people and make connections to their charges. While the work isn’t easy or universally admired, many believe it is a vital source of information that can keep innocent people safe.
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