Investigative Interviewing : Psychology, Method and Practice

There are few skills more important to the modern fact finder than the ability to obtain information through effective interviewing. While most interviewing books are intended for law enforcement, they often present harsh and accusatory techniques that can be counterproductive in private sector investigations.
Investigative Interviewing: Psychology, Method and Practice covers modern techniques for private sector investigative interviews. It outlines a highly structured and process-driven technique that takes a non-accusatory approach, uses no intimidation or coercion, and has been proven to achieve admission rates above 90 percent. This time-tested methodology is easy to learn and replicate and will help you to significantly diminish the likelihood of false confessions.

• Illustrates the process of investigation



• Identifies the differences between the public and private sectors



• Reviews the fundamentals of interviewing



• Covers the investigative interview method



• Explains how to overcome objections



• Considers legal challenges and litigation avoidance

Sharing insights garnered over the author’s 30 years of experience in investigations and interviewing, the book includes case studies based on actual investigations that illustrate industry best practices. Although the text focuses on private sector investigations, the methods presented are also applicable in law enforcement settings.

This book presents the tools and methods required to produce investigative results that are legal and admissible in court. It will help you develop the skills to ensure ethical interviewing practice while investigating a range of situations and protecting against those who intend to cause the organization harm.

Eugene F. Ferraro, CPP, CFE, PCI, SPHR, is currently the chief ethics officer of Convercent, Inc., Denver, Colorado. He has been involved in the study of organizational culture, workplace misconduct, and compliance for over 32 years. He is a prolific author and frequently speaks and trains on the topics of complex corporate investigations, culture management, and unethical behavior in the workplace. He is board certified in both Security Management and Human Resources Management (CPP and SPHR designations, respectively). He has been a member of ASIS (American Society for Information Science) International since 1987 and a commissioner on the ASIS Standards and Guidelines Commission. He is also a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and is a certified fraud examiner (CFE designation) as well as a professional certified investigator (PCI designation).

Mr. Ferraro is a former military pilot, intelligence officer, and a graduate of the Naval Justice School. He is a frequent book critic for Security Management magazine and is the author of Investigations in the Workplace, 2nd ed. (Taylor & Francis Group, 2012), which is a textbook used by universities and other institutions of higher learning in the United States and abroad.