INTERVIEWS
Preserve choice to reduce resistance
One of the easiest ways to improve an investigative interview is to stop asking: “How do I gain more control?” and start asking: “How do I preserve autonomy?”
When people feel cornered, judged, or controlled, they tend to protect themselves. That protection often appears as denial, silence, deflection, argument, or selective disclosure.
Ironically, the harder an interviewer pushes, the more difficult meaningful communication can become. Subject autonomy offers a practical alternative.
Autonomy does not mean giving up control of the interview. It means giving the interviewee a sense of agency within a structured process. Small adjustments in language and behaviour can make a meaningful difference.
Try this:
•Offer choices where appropriate: “Would you like to start at the beginning or with what happened most
recently?”
•Use agency-preserving language: “Help me understand your perspective.”
•Acknowledge difficulty: “I recognise this may not be easy to discuss.”
•Allow silence instead of rushing to fill it.
These behaviours reduce perceived threat while maintaining professionalism and accountability. Before your next interview, ask yourself one simple question, “Am I trying to control this person—or am I creating the conditions for the truth?”
