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Articles » Crime Scene And
Physical Evidence
Testimonial Evidence
Jamie Perna
"Because they rarely come upon a crime scene in progress, police depend on members of the public for knowledge that a crime has been committed. They are equally dependent on victims, witnesses and other informants for knowledge of who the offender is and where he might be found. To exaggerate just a bit, the police can solve a crime if someone tells them who committed it…" - Charles Silberman
The above quote explains the importance of testimony, which is important both in the courtroom and also during an interview. Interviewing is one form of communication used extensively by law enforcement. A good interview can obtain all possible information from a witness or even a confession from a criminal. However, all interviews must be conducted very carefully so as not to arise controversy during the trial. All interviews should be conducted privately and in a comfortable setting. If the interviewee is nervous, he/she may not remember all pertinent information, also, is the interviewee is tense, the interviewer may have a difficult time evaluating the person. An interviewer must also be careful not to reveal too much information, yet still be prepared, and must always let the interviewee do the talking. Questioning techniques are extremely important, as the question must be easily understandable yet also require an extensive answer. Brief notes should also be taken and a summary written directly after the interview. If all of these steps are taken, the interview will be admissible in court and will be a valuable tool to the investigation.
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Quote:
Testimonial Evidence
Paragraph: Successful Interviewing
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