ABSTRACT
To be a good interviewer or interrogator, the investigator must apply certain physical and psychological techniques to the person being interviewed to persuade him or her to divulge information. In the case of the interview, it’s the drug investigator’s job to create an atmosphere in which the subject can be relaxed enough to recall and explain details of a suspected crime. When a criminal suspect is interrogated, the investigator must gently and skillfully break down the subject’s defenses to gain an admission or confession, and do so while staying within the constraints of constitutional law. In some countries, physical and mental stress is used to coerce information from both witnesses and suspects. It is generally accepted that a person will confess to anything if enough pressure or intimidation is applied. But is a “confession” really a truthful statement under these circumstances? Certainly not!
