Articles & Insights

Seeing the Scene Again: Diagramming and Spatial Memory in Interviews

Trauma can manifest in diverse forms, encompassing major events as well as the ongoing exposure to distressing incidents. First responders must acknowledge that their continual encounters with traumatic situations can take a toll on their mental health. 

The Effects of Trauma on First Responders

Trauma can manifest in diverse forms, encompassing major events as well as the ongoing exposure to distressing incidents. First responders must acknowledge that their continual encounters with traumatic situations can take a toll on their mental health. 

Investigating Gender-Based Crimes

Gender-based crimes can be among the hardest for any investigator to deal with. They must be handled with care.

The Pursuit of Justice for the Interviewee and Investigator

As investigators, we must seek to understand the typology of false confessions and the common contributors that facilitate them. 

ETD 2022: Your Future Is Here (Pt 2)

In case you missed it, earlier this year, we shared a letter you had sent us from the future. However, the correspondence was so comprehensive that we needed to break the publication into two separate posts.

Virtual Reality: Inside the Interrogation Room

Dr. Cleary and her team have leveraged innovative technology to enable participants to experience an interrogation in a virtual reality environment.

ETD 2023: Your Future is Here

Elite Training Days (ETD), 2023, is happening on October 24-25, 2023, on the San Antonio Riverwalk!

Building Rapport During an Investigative Interview

Rapport is the basis of all communication and a critical element of interviewing; this article presents five strategies for building rapport.

The Importance of Planning and Preparation

Are you putting the right emphasis on planning and preparation before your investigative interviews? Here's why you should!

Positive Change Requires Commitment

The mere desire to affect a positive lifestyle change is not enough to overcome the many obstacles we encounter to achieve our goal.

Investigative Interviewing in a Changing World

At Wicklander-Zulawski, we have challenged the status quo of investigative interviewing standards over the last several years.

The PEACE Interviewing Model and WZ Training Programs

The PEACE interview model is growing in popularity. This article breaks down the PEACE model and compares it to WZ best practices.

The Hero of Their Own Story

Interviewers help their subjects tell their story. This article looks at the hero journey and how it applies to interviewee's stories.

Trauma-Informed Workplace Investigations

The ability to conduct quality interviews with individuals who may be experiencing psychological trauma is vital.

The Long Road to Self-Awareness

This article explores how cultivating a better awareness of your self can lead to improved communication with others.

WZ Turns 40

Since 1982, WZ has trained hundreds of thousands of investigators across multiple countries on non-confrontational interviewing techniques.

Challenge. Change. Contribute. #BreaktheBias

This article celebrates the growing influence of female professionals creating positive change inside the interviewing industry.

A Different Kind of New Year’s Resolution

It's hard to believe it's only been a month since the Times Square Ball dropped and welcomed 2022. Were you one of those determined people on New Year's Eve who proclaimed "This year …" with the best of intentions? Or did that determination fade around the first Wednesday of the year*? Whether or not you made a resolution, there's still an opportunity to approach the New Year from a different perspective

GOT QUESTIONS? We’ve Got Answers

Procedural Justice and the Professional Interviewer

For a rapport-based conversation to be effective, the subject of the interview must believe that the interviewer has a legitimate right to ask questions. 

Drug Diversion Interviews

This article discusses the difficulties and strategies that any investigator should know before conducting an interview on drug diversion.

Never Stop Learning

Even the most experienced, seasoned investigator should stay open to learning new techniques, as detailed in this article.

It’s All About What and Who You Know

ORC investigations require careful coordination between public and private sector entities. Read up on how this can be done successfully.

The Importance of Documentation

An explanation of why documentation and reports are important for backing up the results of an investigative interview.

New Year, New You

Each new year brings the opportunity to refresh and refocus for greater success in your life and career, as this article illustrates.

The Virtual Training Experience

WZ virtual training seminars are setting the industry standard for remote interview training. This article looks at the reasons why.

Why Can't I Find My Car Keys?

This article details the mental steps an interview subject goes through when asked to conduct memory recall during an interview.

Conviction Review Unit Report: Key Takeaways

The findings of this report are not uncommon, nor a surprise to anyone who has studied the phenomena of false confessions. However, the repetitive nature of the same contributors should be an alarming wake-up call to investigators.

Don't Tell Me How to Feel!

This article discusses the importance of using emotional intelligence during an investigative interview.

Opioid Investigations – A Collaborative Approach

Opioids continue to wreak havoc on our communities and impacting families across the country. Law enforcement professionals working to eradicate drug abuse must work closely with mental health professionals to understand the root cause and possible mitigations with this crisis.

Evaluating Responses to Investigative Questions

When responding to a direct question, an immediate answer is usually the most effective way of communicating a truthful and precise response.

Purposeful Questioning

Human beings have limited mental resources, and only one information source (the question) can be fully attended to at any single time. The interviewer should be strategic in his or her method and order of questioning.

Hidden Strength: Why Interviewers Shouldn't Always Reveal Evidence

Traditional training and commonly accepted practices have compelled interviewers to expose their evidence early on in the interview. It makes sense, right? You have something on someone, show them what you have. Right? Well, it depends.

The Interview Evolution

History is fascinating. It has a way of enlightening our understanding of the now, while at the same time, giving us motivation and hope for what can transpire tomorrow. Having a historical perspective in and of itself won’t allow for positive change to manifest. It takes knowledge, along with a collective understanding and agreement that things NEED to change, in order to make it happen.

What Interviewers Can Learn from Stephen Amell

Successful Interviews

Successful interviews are often conducted by officers who are sincere, respectful, and go out of their way to put a witness at ease. Recognizing and overcoming common fears is paramount.

Am I Qualified to Mentor? Only Time Will Tell

I’m confident we all know true mentors are not self-proclaimed; they’re developed by other genuine mentors who learned from individuals whom they, too, looked up to in generations past, and the cycle continues.

She Was Doing WHAT?!?

Social media is a treasure trove of personal, often relevant information at the disposal of any investigator willing to take the time to discover it. When preparing for an interview, no matter the nature of the offense, the investigator should plan to obtain background information on the subject.

Recipe for Success

We DO have completely different jobs, but I recently realized maybe our passions aren’t as foreign to one another as we’ve always thought.

"Don't Try This At Home!"

At some point during every seminar, I tell our attendees, “Do NOT use these techniques at home!” Of course, then I flip it around and say, “Unless your kid is dating someone you want to know more about.” I wonder if that makes me a hypocrite?

And We Wonder Why Victims Don't Report Sooner

Here we go again.  A report of rape and sexual assault where everyone, including NFL reporters, suddenly becomes an expert on how victims should react after a rape.  Unless you’ve shut yourself off from all news outlets, you are well aware of the federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District of Miami on September 10 alleging the New England Patriots wide receiver Antonio Brown raped and sexually assaulted his former college classmate and personal trainer. I have no idea if these crimes occurred, and I’m going to reserve my judgment until further information is released.  These are serious allegations and should be investigated thoroughly without prejudice or bias… at least that’s how I thought this process worked. Unfortunately, I made the poor decision of scrolling through Twitter comments on this subject and I was not surprised to see the amount of journalists and other public figures immediately discrediting the complainant’s suit. Here is a quick glimpse of what made me take a double dose of my blood pressure meds this morning (I removed their twitter handles because they don’t deserve any more exposure): “If you’re raped the first you should do is call the police and have a rape kit done”...

When You Know Better, You Do Better

Who knows better? The practitioner who has executed a skillset in real-life scenarios, experienced the nuances of their trade and battled through them; or the academic who has scientifically tested their theories and submitted themselves to scrutiny by peers and colleagues as to the accuracy of their empirical studies? The answer is both, together.

It's Up To You: Keys to Preventing False Confessions

The one thing that is painfully true, regardless of the level of bias that may be infused into the films or brought on from the viewers, is false confessions DO HAPPEN.

A Tale With Many Tails

Communication can be a difficult road to navigate. Whether you see it as a one-way lane or a motorway filled with two-way traffic, there are certainly times when the message can easily get lost in translation.

Question Yourself: Ten Biases You Probably Have

Biases are rampant in all industries, but not many have the disastrous impact that those in the criminal justice or employee relations field may experience.  The destruction of morale, wrongful termination or conviction, and the potential of continued wrongdoing by the guilty party can all result from a biased investigation or interview. There are too many types of biases to list concisely, and it seems that multiple research papers have categorized them in their own way.  For the sake of sanity, I’ve created my own list from what I  believe are some of the most prevalent biases in the investigative world. Unlike the more academic labels and titles, such as “confirmation bias”, the below list is slightly more informal and may be the best one you will ever read, but don’t believe me without reading it, because I am, in fact, biased. DIY Effect – I did the work, so it must be right, and I’ll defend it relentlessly.  Don’t mind the bruised thumbs, cut on my face and sore back – that’s part of the job – and it’s also why I refuse to take your post-project suggestions. I once stared at a sidewalk for about four hours because...

What If? Three Interview Traps You Can Be Prepared For

A Tale of Two Bartenders: How to Build Rapport Like It's Your Job

This is a tale of two bartenders. My wife and I were visiting the suburb of a city that shall remain nameless (rhymes with Schmicago) and decided we wanted to check out the local bar scene. Before we ventured into the great unknown after what felt like hours of thumbing through Yelp reviews, we stumbled upon a lovely establishment with pretty stellar ratings. With great anticipation—and by anticipation, I mean thirst—we made our way through the old oak threshold and found ourselves belly-up at the bar. My wife and I love shooting the breeze with bartenders, especially in a new town. They are (usually) a wealth of knowledge and eager to help make our experience as unique and exciting as possible. This particular venture, however, was quite the opposite. We were the only people in this bar, yet somehow, it still took the bartender several minutes to even acknowledge our existence. When she finally did decide to make human contact, she was cold, short and gave the impression that she would rather be next in line for tickets to a live reading of Weird Al Yankovic’s autobiographical memoir than waiting on us. Our impressions of the bar, food, drinks, and...

When "Just The Facts" Doesn't Work

Interviewing traumatized individuals is difficult. We can't just ask our questions and expect to get an easily understood narrative.

A Legend in One's Own Mind

How do you prove your skillsets in any art form? How do you take the knowledge someone gives you and prove an ROI to those who provided the opportunity?

Coming in Cold: A First-Timer's Account of WZ Training

In a room of loss prevention associates, human resource managers, and their counterparts, some of whom were new to their positions, some of whom were experienced interviewers already, I was a true blank slate. If I could be turned into an interviewer, just about anyone could.

Q&A Webinar "Isn't it Obvious? The Truth in 'He Said, She Said' Investigations"

In our recent training session, “Isn’t in Obvious? The Truth in ‘He Said, She Said’ Investigations” hosted by our friends at HRCI – we discussed the importance of the investigative interview in identifying the truth. With a few thousand HR Professionals attending our session, we didn’t get the chance to answer all of the questions that came in.  We’ve compiled the top questions submitted and provided some insight below.  If you have further questions or want to discuss these investigations you can connect with Dave Thompson, CFI at dthompson@w-z.com. What are the best techniques for phone interviews when you can’t read body language? It seems that remote interviewing is becoming a more widely accepted practice with the increased availability of technology as well as the reduction of staff that now are responsible for large geographic areas.  There are several key strategies when conducting an interview over the phone, many of which are advantageous to the interviewer.  For example, there is no limit to the amount or type or resources available to the interviewer during the conversation.  Additionally, although some may consider it more difficult that they can’t see their subject, this could also be an advantage.  Interviewers do not have...

There's Always Time to be Thankful ...

What exactly happened to 2018?  I’m going to need proof that it even existed.  I remember my parents often pleading with me to “slow down pal, enjoy the present– your future will get here soon enough.”   Early on I simply wanted to advance without hesitation.  High School couldn’t have moved any slower (yawn).  I just wanted to sign that letter of intent and follow in my Dad’s footsteps of being a collegiate athlete.  It was a great experience until I got hurt – twice – and then had to go to class (emotionally scarring).  Time once again slowed down.  Then I was circling days on a calendar until I could cross that stage, grab that diploma, and sprint into a professional career to surprise my bank with something other than a withdrawal.  Three decades later and all I desire to do is put the brakes on the apparent warp speed time’s moving in now.  Feels like I boarded a bird this past January to go see the team in Chicago for our annual meetings and my return segment landed in the 4th quarter. Good news is, in my humble opinion, we’re entering into the best two months of the year....

I Think I Can. Telephone Interviewing Tips

“I can’t do an interview over the phone, I have to see the person.”  I hear this so often at our seminars and, while different, it simply is not true (toss in the fact that I dislike the word “can’t”.) As Mike Reddington, CFI with WZ’s Executive Education division has said numerous times, when someone says “can’t” they should always include the word “easily”.   Telephone interviewing is something you CAN do and once you try it you will find that is, in fact, done easily. Here is what Dave Thompson, CFI said on his International Association of Interviewers (IAI) Video tip recently: “Let’s talks about the advantages of conducting interviews over the phone. In the last few years, it seems that more and more organizations are conducting interviews remotely, whether that means over the phone or with the use of some type of videoconferencing tool. Much of the reason behind this approach has been to help close out cases more quickly and efficiently without the cost of travel across the country (or sometimes to different countries) that is otherwise necessary to conduct an interview. A lot of people are apprehensive about a phone interview primarily because they can’t see the...

A Senate Hearing, But Nobody is Listening.

Watching the Kavanaugh hearings and subsequent “expert” opinions has me really concerned about the inability of people, from Senators to the average citizen, to be able to independently look at a situation without extreme bias or prejudice. First, I should explicitly state that I have no idea what the “truth” is and also do not care what political party the complainants, witnesses or accused associate with.  My singular focus of this blog is to bring attention to the problem of biases or assumptions and their significant impact on our justice system, and ultimately people’s lives.  My other motive is, I needed a break from reading any more comments on social media before I either deleted my account or engaged in a twitter war. Wait…What party do they belong to? This is one of the most alarming things to witness in this whole fiasco.  It can’t be any more obvious that people who tend to sway Republican are more supporting of Judge Kavanaugh and those that are in the Democratic Party have a stronger presence in Dr. Ford’s camp.  Before you send me a response disputing that theory, I’m not stating this is an absolute as many people are uncertain what...

Think They're Lying? Think Again.

“Her eyes darted back and forth as if she was thinking of a response…” “Based on her answers and body language it was apparent that she was lying…” “He was closed off and withdrawn, it was clear he wasn’t truthful” “His body language indicated that he was involved” These are descriptions of: Victims and suspects after being interviewed by investigators. Rape victims and homicide suspects. Innocent victims and innocent suspects. In the process of an investigation, especially with circumstantial evidence, the truth is not clearly known and investigators often rely on interviews to gain more information.  Throughout these conversations, we observe the people we are talking to and will see multiple changes in behavior, both verbal and non-verbal.  Understanding when somebody may be apprehensive, concerned or anxious is important in any conversation whether it be with a family member, friend, counselor or during an investigative interview.  However, classifying that behavior in absolute terms as truthful or deceptive may lead down a dangerous path. But, it works! I’m sure you have had success where you caught your kids lying, maybe a friend or co-worker and it was obvious because of their “tell”.  It’s absolutely possible that you have identified that nose...

Bridging the Generational Gap Over the Millennial Gorge

One thing that I’ve always emphasized in the training sessions that I provide with Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ) on the WZ Non-Confrontational Method of Interviewing, is the ability to utilize the WZ techniques and theories in every day communication.  The theories weren’t developed to only be utilized during the formal, structured investigative interviews you may be conducting in the workplace.  Instead, the theories are about encouraging, and more frequently obtaining, honesty in the many conversations you have. Having a better understanding of the meaning behind the things people say, knowing how to impact and influence people’s decision making, and asking better questions to elicit discernable information from someone you are talking to is valuable in every conversation.  I think about the many talks with my daughter, communicating to friends and coworkers, even meetings with clients.  All of it is important.  Even with clear strategies and theories, there are still some gaps in communication.  Sometimes that gap is related to the generational gap. Adapting the approach Effective communication requires a certain adaptability for both parties.  That is particularly true for the interviewer during formal sit-downs conducted in the workplace.  Adapting to the environment, the type of offense and, more importantly, the subject of...

Transitioning Your Interview Skills Beyond Loss Prevention

Many loss prevention professionals have built their career on the ability to diffuse conflict with shoplifters and encourage dishonest employees to tell the truth about what they stole.  In fact, our interview skills are often a significant point of pride for us.  It is commonly understood that the techniques that make us so successful during our investigative interviews can create advantages for us in other conversations as well.  Below we will explore five specific aspects of investigative interviews that generate new opportunities for us when we transition them to other conversations. Apply the Participatory Interview Framework:  When we are talking to employees, customers, job candidates or even sales people, it can be very tempting to jump right to our main point.  Whether our motivation is to save time, be transparent, or an attempt to take control, this approach typically limits our ability to acquire more valuable information.  The participatory interview works so well because the interviewer camouflages what he is looking for while patiently walking the subject down a path that removes any potential escape routes and creates opportunities to gather more critical information before deciding to accuse the subject.  We can experience the identical benefits by applying this approach...

Protect the Paws: A K-9 Cause

Whose Side Are You On?

Change.  A scary word, and a difficult concept to grasp for many.  Scarier and more troubling are the following reactions we often hear to a suggestion of change: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” “But that’s the way we’ve always done it” “I’ve been doing this for (X) amount of years” I’m sure we have all heard some of the above, and probably have even caught ourselves saying it from time to time.  As John Maxwell stated “Change is inevitable, but progress is optional.”  There are many obstacles on the path to change and one of the most difficult for people to overcome is the ability to understand a perspective different from their own. Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates prides itself on evolving, adapting and innovating the way we deliver our training and, most importantly, the content itself. Let’s focus on 5 key concepts that help us progress, innovate and become better than we were yesterday: Demand to be Challenged We seem to gravitate toward those with whom we have the most in common.  This makes sense – always surrounded by people that agree with our ideas, our motives and our thoughts.  We want “likes” on our social media posts, and...

Cultural Interview Lessons From the Road

The WZ Non-Confrontational Interview method has been a part of my career for over 28 years now, and I’m happy to say that I’ve been working for WZ for 19 years.  Through the years much has changed for both myself and WZ.  One of the biggest changes for WZ is the huge International reach we now provide with our training classes.  Did you know WZ has operations in Latin America, UK and Europe? The International division of WZ has provided interview training courses on six continents (the penguins are next!) and to delegates from over 140 countries!  I personally have taught classes translated to French, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, German, Mandarin and Arabic.  Regardless of your travels, your organization’s global reach or simply the need to interview someone from another country, there is always one common thread to interviewing and teaching interview tactics around the world; the need to develop rapport. When training Internationally, I always ask attendees, “What makes a good interviewer?”  A variety of topics, traits, and characteristics often arise, but one response consistently comes forward no matter what country I’m in; the ability to build rapport.  So, what is rapport?  Rapport is creating a relationship in a very...

I'm WZ Trained - What's Next?

One of the most common questions we get at our training seminars on Interview & Interrogation Techniques is: “What’s next?” This is a great question considering attendees just sat through at least a 16 hour program packed with an enormous amount of content. This highly educational information certainly increased the knowledge of those attending, but did little to increase their actual skills. I can read countless Golf Digest magazines, but I can’t golf better until I practice what has been learned. The same is true when it comes to the art of interviewing and interrogation. It takes a lot of practice to master the skills of a good interrogator, unfortunately that practice is typically done in the form of role play with a mentor that may not have been through our seminar in several years and has likely developed bad habits that they now pass on. In some cases, the new investigator is asked to conduct their first interview or interrogation shortly after our seminar with little or no practice based on the significant amount of evidence they have developed. Although it is likely they received an admission from the subject based on the evidence they had, it is unlikely...

Any Questions? Preparing for a Sexual Harassment Investigation

Ready to Interrogate? Don't Bet On It!

You flop the straight flush and the player before you raises into you. You hide your reaction attempting to contain your excitement about your pending payday as it is almost as sure a bet as the sun rising in the morning.  As the play continues and your anticipated winnings lay scattered in the middle of the table, you see the turn card and then the river and realize you’re the victim of a bad beat – your competition hits the royal. We’ve all been there before, over-committed to something that seemed like a guarantee.  Ask those folks who bet on the Patriots winning the Superbowl this year, they understand the feeling.  Wouldn’t it be great if, prior to making a bet or showing your cards, we had the ability to have more information?  Knowing what your opponents cards are, their tendencies and their level of confidence in your hand.  What if those that bet on the Patriots would have known that a starting defensive player wasn’t going to play a majority of the game – would that have changed their strategy? Something that is seen at the poker table consistently; the player that is dealt a pair of Aces and...

Are You Ready?

The New Year is a time for resolutions; where we try do something a bit better than last year.  Making a small change which enables us to be prouder of who we are. So I would ask you to think about how you handle and resolve investigations. Last year we saw several injustices coming to light.  There were miscarriages of justice where people had been convicted of crimes they didn’t commit.  They were misidentified by eye witnesses or outdated science and some falsely confessed to the crime.  In some cases the investigators had tunnel vision and ignored other suspects or contradictory evidence, convinced they knew who had committed the crime. I don’t believe there are many investigators who would intentionally try to convict someone who is innocent, but the results show that it has happened. Last year also highlighted the shameful sexual harassment of employees in the work place.  People of power used their position to control others by extorting sexual favors from those below them.  There were admissions and denials too numerous to mention.  In some cases the allegations were ignored or the rumors left unexplored.  These types of cases are difficult to investigate because there is often a...

4th Quarter Playbook

While a football game can take only 60 minutes of actual playing time, the preparation for such a game takes 12 months of hard work.  There are a lot of similarities between a game and life.  Just like in the game, we are committed to winning. Not just you, but your organization’s goal is focused on winning as well. One of the things I always tell my children is that they should not be planning to “top out” in high school or college (think “glory days”), but rather keep that trend moving upward throughout their career.  The same principles apply when broken down year by year.  The focus should always be on finishing strong, not letting your guard down. Three areas come to mind to achieve this goal:  external feedback, internal feedback and immediate feedback.  Externally, consider those outside your department and how they perceive you and your department.  Internally, looking at yourself as well as your peers within the industry.  Finally, immediate feedback should come from within your department, especially your coach (boss). Enough of the sports analogies, let’s move on to your fourth quarter goal of finishing strong.  The first question that needs to be asked is, “Am...

So Many Cases, So Little Time

Investigators often carry heavy caseloads and have minimal time to conduct extensive interviews. Pressures to complete their assignments come from a variety of directions including supervisors, the media, the public and often the victim or their family.  Internal pressures, often a desire to be successful, may also be a factor. Due to a combination of these external and internal forces, investigators are often heard saying they do not have time to develop rapport with the subject of an interview. This may be the very reason they are unsuccessful in some of their interviews, as they do not take the requisite time to develop rapport and understanding of their subject. The same investigators may also ask too many closed questions with a focus on obtaining singular information and, as a result, valuable information is lost. The ability to develop rapport is often directly correlated with an interviewer’s attitude or bias during the conversation. This can be most difficult when interviewing a subject who has committed heinous crimes. Even if an interviewer’s time is limited, at a minimum, an understanding and respectful attitude should be conveyed. When conducting investigative interviews, some investigators just appear to be going through the motions. There is...

Female Interviewers v. Male Interviewers: Is There an Advantage?

In the past, men and women have been viewed in traditional roles. Currently, these roles are becoming more blended. Both men and women may fail to build the necessary rapport for a successful interview. Either sex may appear unconfident, unorganized, unkempt, uninterested, and disrespectful. Both men and women may be able to develop an immediate rapport, be perceived as confident, extremely organized, respectful, non-confrontational, and very approachable. Depending upon their interview styles, either men or women may have the same positives and/or negatives. Proper non-confrontational interview styles, by either sex, may convince the most difficult subjects to agree to an interview. Some subjects of interviews are less progressive in their views of men and women. Problems arise when persons being interviewed develop perceptions of others that are difficult to control by the interviewer. Women, because of past social roles, may project nurturing and understanding better than men.  Some women are viewed as less confrontational and soften the view, by the person being interviewed, of the legal consequences resulting from the conversation. Conversely, male subjects may distrust and dislike women because of their own past experience(s) with the opposite sex. Other perceptions of men and women are cultural, giving members of...

He Said. She Said. Now What?

The daunting task of investigating a harassment claim is one that is faced by many human resources and employee relations professionals on a daily basis.  The difficulties with these types of investigations are countless and include the lack of evidence, reliance on hearsay and emotional impact on all of those involved.  However, as highlighted by the former Fox News Anchor Gretchen Carlson in her interview with Amy Robach on ABC’s “20/20”, the issues surrounding these investigations are much more complicated than those listed above. Is it being reported? One of the major issues called out by Carlson, that unfortunately is echoed by many employees is the difficulty for an employee to report any type of uncomfortable behavior or hostile work environment.  A study published by Huffington Post in 2015 stated that 71% of female employees did not report some form of sexual harassment at work.  This troubling figure means almost 3 out of every 4 incidents of harassment go unreported and thereby uninvestigated. There are a variety of potential reasons to explain the significant under-reporting, all of which should be taken into consideration when developing a reporting protocol and investigative strategy.  One common reason for an incident to go unreported...

Tools of the Trade: Mastering Each Method

When it comes to home improvement or fixing a car we all are well aware that multiple tools are needed to get the job done efficiently and effectively.  Using the wrong tool may delay the process or result in even further damage.  This same rule applies to interviewing methods, an important toolbox for any investigator.  It is essential that investigators are aware there are many tools at their disposal when it comes to the interview or interrogation process.  More importantly, investigators must utilize the proper methods based on the type of available evidence, background of the subject and other surrounding variables of the case.  The misapplication of a method or inappropriate selection may hamper the investigators ability to obtain the truth and also result in a confirmation bias of the investigator.  Listed here are the common methods taught by Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates as well as some of their particular benefits and most appropriate uses. WZ Non-Confrontational Method This 18-step approach has multiple strengths including the ability to translate into a variety of case types ranging from sexual harassment, employee theft to more serious crimes such as burglary or homicide.  This method is best utilized when the investigator has circumstantial or...

Top 10 Reasons for Becoming an IAI Member

As the International Association of Interviewers (IAI) enters its 5th successful year, I find myself reflecting upon the many questions I have been asked about the IAI, and the value it brings. Said differently, over the years several interview and interrogation professionals had asked me what value an IAI membership would bring to them. The answers, of course, came easily. However, I can’t help but think there must be many more professionals out there who simply have not had the opportunity to ask such valuable questions of me. With that in mind, I have created what I affectionately call: Dave’s Top 10 Reasons to Join IAI 10.  Enjoy unbridled access to unique tools, such as the Rationalization Matrix, to enhance your interview and interrogation skills. 9.  Stay relevant by taking advantage of FREE informative and educational webinars covering today’s most current topics. 8. Stay informed with the CFInsider, the industry’s only journal dedicated to providing unique insights and information on current developments within the world of interview and interrogation. 7.  Take advantage of special discounts on WZ books, WZ seminars, CFI online prep material, and much more. 6.  Sharpen your skills by tapping into decades of collective interview and interrogation...

Maximizing Mentorship

Heavy lies the crown.  Success brings many rewards and many responsibilities.  One of the greatest responsibilities your success bestows upon you is passing everything you’ve learned on to others who are eager to develop their careers.  The very best leaders don’t see the next generation as a threat, withhold information and force their teams to rely on them. Great leaders see the next generation as an opportunity to carry the torch and they devote their time to mold their teams and provide them with the tools and insight to surpass their achievements. Business cultures are being forced to evolve as technology expands exponentially, information becomes more accessible and workforces becoming potentially more transient.  Many business cultures are quickly shifting away from “need to know” relationships and information and shifting towards cultures of transparency, accountability and individual decision making. This evolution typically inspires people to learn and achieve more. Mentorship provides a wonderful opportunity to develop people in your organization, industry or social circles.  Below are ten considerations to maximize your mentorship opportunities: Focus on potential:  When considering who to mentor or what to discuss, executives may make the mistake of focusing on where an individual currently is in their career,...

Past, Present and Future

Law Enforcement is a Profession, Change is Constant, and People Fear Change

In January of 1977 this author reported to the Chicago Police Academy as a recruit and in June of 2006 he retired as a Detective. In May of 2008, this same author was hired by the Cook County State Attorney’s Office, spending the next six years as an investigator. Having survived just under thirty-six years in law-enforcement, the author now has the ability to look back and draw the following conclusions: Law Enforcement Is a Profession, Change Is Constant, and People Fear Change. In March of 2017 this author and partner Scott Pickett, CFI, both representing Wicklander-Zulawski &  Associates (WZ), had the honor of presenting information to newly promoted Chicago Police Detectives. The material discussed was based upon the use of non-confrontational interview methods with victims, witnesses, and suspects. The class was overwhelmingly receptive to the presentation including  the treatment of persons as individuals, with dignity and respect, rapport building, showing understanding, and the use of non-confrontational methods when conducting forensic interviews. This observation is totally contradictory to the perception held by those critical of the police. Both verbal and non-verbal positive feedback by the attending detectives rejected the assumption that detectives are motivated by anything but the common good....

What's Trust Got To Do With It?

Trust is an important aspect at all levels of an investigation.  Your supervisors and business partners must trust that you will conduct your investigation in-line with your organization’s policies and procedures.  Similarly, the victims or complainants must trust you are taking their report seriously and will investigate it accordingly.  Just as important is the subject’s trust that you will conduct a thorough, fair and unbiased investigation.  As much as the various players in and outside of your investigation must have trust in you, you also have to validate that the evidence you are gathering throughout your investigation is true and accurate.  With trust being such a vital component of our investigation, how do we secure our trust in the information we are receiving?  The answer may be easier said than executed: we must trust in order to receive trust. Before you decide it is unnecessary to invest trust in your victims, witnesses or much less your subjects, take a moment to think about how much more credibility you and your investigation would have if the person sitting across from you in the interview room trusted you enough to tell you the truth.  So how can you establish trust in the...

Managing Your Emotions During an Interview

Emotions can run the full gamut for both parties involved in an investigative interview.  Both the interviewer and the subject may feel the push and pull of a wide range of emotions.  From happiness to sadness, fear and surprise, disgust, anger and even contempt, the interview process can produce the ebbs and flows of a full set of emotions one might feel throughout an entire day. During the course of an interview, skilled investigators can recognize and identify a variety of emotions that might guide the interviewer through the process and help to understand and identify the level of cooperation and authenticity from the subject. For instance, you might observe moments of surprise from your subject while you are building credibility in your investigation with the WZ Introductory Statement.  You may see the emotion of fear and the fear of detection emerge through the many physiological changes the body goes through during fight or flight.  You may even recognize emotions that present themselves as your subject approaches a more submissive stage, passing through a phase of resistance, prior to making a rational or emotional decision to be truthful. Emotions play a huge role during the interview process, but what are...

I Did It?! Why Innocent People Confess

It is hard to imagine why someone would confess to something they didn’t do. To voluntarily provide information that results in incarceration, embarrassment, loss of employment, restitution or loss of freedom seems unfathomable. However, not only are there several cases of this actually occurring but it continues to happen throughout the widespread field of interrogations. Most confessions provided by a guilty subject include their rationalization for their actions as an attempt to gain an understanding of why they may have done something they normally wouldn’t do. Investigators have heard thousands of stories of a subject stealing money impulsively without thinking it through, burglarizing a property due to financial pressures or giving away trade secrets because someone else pressured them into it. If we can acknowledge that someone may commit a crime due to pressures in their life, then we should be able to understand why an innocent subject may admit to their involvement in a crime because of other pressures being applied. Taking into consideration research done by groups such as the Innocence Project, Wrongful Conviction Center for Youth and other academics across the world, there are several reasons why a confession may occur involuntarily and even be false. Many...

The Making a Murderer Effect

Interrogation methods used improperly can cause a multitude of issues including involuntary or false confessions and make it increasingly difficult to identify the truth or obtain reliable information in an investigation.  This topic has been widely discussed in the recent months due to the popular Netflix documentary “Making a Murderer” in regard to the interrogations of Brendan Dassey. Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, the Juvenile Law Center and University of Virginia Professor of Law, Brandon L. Garrett filed an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on behalf of Dassey in December, 2016.  The WZ team is proud to have stood behind the integrity of ethical, moral and legally acceptable interview and interrogation methods. The Amicus Brief was provided to the Seventh Circuit in response to the State of Wisconsin’s appeal of an August 12, 2016 decision by a Federal Magistrate Judge.  The decision supported the claims by Dassey that his confession was involuntary for a variety of reasons as noted within the amicus brief. The brief highlights critical risks that interrogators have made when dealing with a subject such as Dassey; making false promises or suggestions of leniency, threats of consequences, and lack of considerations of his...

Lies, lies and more lies ...the clever brain that lets liars get away easily!

Study shows lying gets easier for those who lie repeatedly!  A new brain study recently published in Nature Neuroscience focuses on the effects of lying on the amygdala, a small tucked-away part of the brain that processes negative emotions. Using live human volunteers who were incentivized to lie repeatedly, the study was able to show that amygdala activity decreased after the first lie and continued to decrease before and after subsequent lies. This study is reported to be “the first empirical evidence that lying escalates as a result of emotional adaption.” The study’s findings offer scientific-based evidence of why lying comes so easily to some people while others struggle to tell even a “little white lie.” It seems habitual liars are being let off easy by their amygdala! As a person tells more lies, the brain, in an effort to lessen emotional stress, becomes more and more desensitized to the discomfort initially caused by the act of lying. The study reports that as a result of this lessening of emotional angst, telling more lies becomes easier over time. Study author and director of the Affective Brain Lab, Dr. Tali Sharot, says that the study shows that small lies easily “snowball...

5 Tips for Surviving the Holidays

This can be a stressful yet profitable time for the retail industry and, unfortunately, a season that can cause even the most vested employee to feel under-appreciated and overworked. 

Burke Ramsey: A Lesson in Behavior Interpretation

If you have turned on your TV in the last couple of weeks or logged in to any form of social media, you would have seen that there are several “experts” suggesting different theories of what happened twenty years ago in the case of JonBenét Ramsey. There are a variety of opportunities for analysts to discuss their expertise including statement analysis of the ransom note, forensic evidence, psychological profiles and interpretation of interviews of the key players. Over the last week, it seems that some of the docuseries have pointed at Burke Ramsey, JonBenét’s older brother, as the main suspect of the crime. There are some pieces of evidence that lead to Burke as a possible suspect, but it seems that the most talked about topic is Burke’s interview with Dr. Phil that aired recently. The theory that Burke Ramsey, 9 years old at the time of the homicide, was involved in the killing of his sister is plausible. However, it is important that we are able to review the case facts from an impartial perspective. Most people and even some “experts” fall victim to a confirmation bias when watching a true crime series. Often, the filmmakers will steer the...

Debating Body Language

If you are like me, it is getting more and more difficult to watch anything related to the current political affairs in the United States. However, it is a crucial election and a time when all of us want to be well informed of where we are and how we can make an impact. Observing candidates and their body language combined with their tone and choice of words is, of course, an intriguing task in our line of work. As I click on post-debate articles that show up in my newsfeed and scroll through Twitter reading opinions, I can’t help but notice the countless “body-language experts” that feel the need to analyze and reach conclusions. I support the research into micro-expressions and the interpretation of behavior to attempt to uncover the true emotion. However, I also support the need to establish an individual baseline and am aware that behavior may be different based on the context of the situation and the countless surrounding variables that impact our non-verbal reactions. In understanding the complex nature of behavior interpretation, I was agitated at the conclusive observations made throughout the debate implying that a candidate feels one way or another – simply based...

Take 2: Lessons Learned in the Interview Room

We’re human and we all make mistakes.  It’s inevitable.  At some point in your investigative career you’ll find yourself making a mistake during the interview process.  Many times the person you are interviewing will be unaware of the mistake, but it’s always a good idea to keep a mental record of your “interview bloopers” to prepare you for the occasional situation that will require you to recover and overcome from an unexpected error. At Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ), we are consistently reviewing our interviews or interrogations and critiquing each other in an effort to learn from our mistakes.  In the spirit of embarrassing myself, while hoping to educate others, I’ve compiled some “bloopers” or mistakes made during my own interviews. Do Not Disturb You have spent an extensive amount of time setting the interview room up for optimal success, or at least you think you have.  About 10 minutes into the interview you realize you forgot to unplug the phone, put a sign on the door, or take your “Practical Aspects of Interrogation” textbook off of the desk. I’ve experienced interruptions more often than I’d like to admit – but there is a recent example that comes to mind immediately.  While changing...

5 Quick Fixes to Your Pre-Employment Interviews

Clear the background check, drug test, and pass through a series of scripted behavioral based interviews with all of the decision makers. That sounds like a great process until about three weeks after hiring the candidate you find out they omitted something from their application. They have a problem with taking feedback and clearly aren’t a fit for your brand. As Certified Forensic Interviewers at Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, our mission is to teach people to use the truth to their advantage and a pre-employment interview is a great environment to use those skills. Without any extreme changes to your current process here are five quick adjustments to make in your next interview with the goal of obtaining more truthful statements than you have in the past. Get out from Behind the Desk In a one-on-one interview it is common for the interviewer to sit behind their desk, in their office, with all of their accolades hanging on the wall behind them. If you happen to walk into a room and you observe someone sitting behind a desk, immediately you associate that person as a decision maker, the judgmental authority figure. This is due to years of conditioning from walking into...

Identifying Intent: An Auditor's Guide to the Truth

Another day, another audit. The routines of compliance or auditing professionals may seem very rigid, full of checks and balances, checkmarks and scores; sometimes even the announcement that an auditor is onsite will cause a location or department to completely derail from their current focus and scramble to satisfy all of their required tasks to remain compliant. However, there is more to compliance than pass or fail and those in the profession have a great understanding for the weight of their role. Whether it is to maintain compliance in accordance with DEA protocols for the control of pharmaceuticals, comply with OSHA standards for the safety of their employees and customers or monitor workplace efficiencies to ensure a profitable business; auditors play a major role in sustainability. The best return on investment for an audit is not by providing a score, but instead by recognizing training opportunities or negligence by employees and reacting accordingly. The task of separating the two is sometimes difficult, and often a question that is asked by operational partners. “Were they trained incorrectly?” or “Did they intentionally ignore procedure?” Ultimately, if an error is identified through the course of an audit there are generally three potential causes...

Netflix's Making a Murderer: An Interrogator's Perspective

The Netflix documentary “Making a Murderer” is causing an outcry for justice in a perceived unjust system.  The 10-part documentary depicts for the viewer a perspective of Wisconsinite Steven Avery, and his nephew Brendan Dassey as they travel through the many layers of the criminal justice system.  This series has taken social media by storm, creating several discussions on interview or interrogation techniques, false confessions and alleged corruption in the criminal justice system. It is an incredible example of how quickly and easily our society becomes divided and blinded when discussing potential injustice and impropriety. As a Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI®) it is imperative to take a critical look at the series and separate truth or evidence from drama and conspiracy.  The documentary produced by Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos begins in 2003 and is broken down over 10 different episodes that all leave the viewer hanging and salivating to watch the next one.  Since the documentary aired on December 18, 2015, almost 400,000 people signed a petition to the White House asking for the Federal Government to take another look at the Avery case.  Justice, in the eyes of some viewers, has not been served.  However, it is interesting...

5 Kickstarters to your New Year’s Resolutions

Creating New Year’s Resolutions is an annual tradition of creating a wish-list for ourselves that usually falls by the wayside by Valentine’s Day. Think about the resolutions you’ve made in years past.  You may have resolved to establish a workout routine and a healthier eating plan.  Maybe you resolved to read more, spend more time with family, or start saving money. I’ll give credit to those of you that have followed through on your self-made promises.  For those of you who haven’t, take an honest moment of reflection and think about where you would be if you had. If you can’t trust yourself then how can you find truth in anyone else? This year make a resolution to actually fulfill your resolutions. I want share some of my resolutions for the upcoming year with you. Take them or leave them. Feel free to join me: Seek Knowledge Outside My Comfort Zone Find ways to expand your knowledge base.  If you consider yourself an expert interviewer and feel comfortable handling a variety of cases, find new ways to apply these skills.  Change your perspective, think of yourself as a truth-seeker and imagine the endless opportunities of expanding that skillset.  Did you...

A Tale of Two Headlines: Persuading vs. Reporting

Guilty or Innocent?  Right or Wrong? Apparently it depends on which article you read and the author’s motive. In a culture where the most controversial stories result in better ratings, it is inevitable that these persuasive reports will exist.  However, it causes unfair and unjust consequences for those parties involved when an uninformed society makes a judgment based off a biased report designed to persuade the reader toward a particular opinion. Depending on the city in which you are watching the news, or the media outlet providing you the story, you leave with a bad taste in your mouth for one side of the argument.  If your goal is to have your opinion dictated to you or your mind made up for you, then this system works in your favor.  However, if you are someone who likes to obtain all the relevant facts before making a conscious decision or opinion, then you should feel as slighted as I sometimes do with these baseless reports. Let’s take, for example, the variety of incidents over the last year alleging police brutality.  I’m not here to discuss the validity or non-validity of this as an issue, but rather the reporting with which it...

Top 5 Ways to Build Rapport: Whether It’s an Interview or a First Date

Are you one of those people that can connect with anyone?  Do you know someone that seems to make friends anywhere they go?  Sure, this could be for a number of reasons – but most importantly these people have a skill in building rapport. People relate with other people who are like them. Whether you are fans of the same sports team, enjoy similar hobbies or share political interests, it is easier to connect with someone like you.  Think about it this way; if you are traveling far away from your hometown and you bump into somebody wearing a hat with your home team sports logo, all of a sudden you feel comfortable saying hello. Developing rapport with your subject in an interview builds trust and likability as well as identifies possible rationalizations to use.  This skill is not limited to interviews or interrogations however, as it is a vital part of many conversations such as a job interview, a sales pitch or even a first date.  While a large part of my job is to train on interviews, I’ve also had my fair share of first date experiences so I thought I would combine the two and give you...

Go Behind the Scenes with WZ: Assigning the Best Interviewer

A large source of Wicklander-Zulawski (WZ) training material and ongoing research comes from our very own Investigative Division.  Within this division, we get contacted by organizations, both private and public, to assist or lead in an investigation.   Once we take on the investigation, part of the process includes deciding who would be the best interviewer for the case.  All of the investigators at WZ are CFI’s and experienced interviewers; however, some cases may dictate one interviewer is better suited for the case than another. Taking into consideration that schedules, geographic location, and other logistics may impact the selection process; let’s assume that none of that is relevant for the sake of understanding the real basis for selecting the right interviewer. Here are some of the topics we consider when assigning an investigation to a WZ Interviewer: Biographical Some types of cases may be better suited for a specific gender or age of the interviewer. For example, if we were hired for a possible sexual harassment investigation and the alleged harasser was a male subject I would prefer a male interviewer.  In this scenario, it may be easier for the interviewer to develop a rapport and rationalize with the subject.  On...

Know When to Hold'em or Fold'em Poker: Through the Eyes of an Interrogator

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!  Spotting and properly interpreting “tells” at the poker table is more of an art than an exact science, and it’s a talent that most players acquire only after years. But who has that kind of time?  Dave Thompson, CFI takes his interrogation skills to the poker table and illustrates the similarities of an interview/interrogation to a game of poker through the eyes of an interrogator. Click here to download your copy of “Know When to Hold ’em or Fold ’em, Poker:  Though the Eyes of an Interrogator.”  

5 Characteristics of a Professional Interviewer

What do you do for a living? A question we have all received, but probably all answer differently.  In some way, shape or form, we attempt to tell people that we are professional interviewers in some capacity.  After answering this question several times myself, I thought I would highlight 5 characteristics that make an individual stand out truly as someone elite in this profession. If you consider yourself a professional interviewer, especially if you’ve been doing this for a long time, take a step back and evaluate what actually sets you apart.   The amount of interviews you’ve completed, or how long you’ve been in your position doesn’t necessarily make you a professional. Our goal is the truth. All too often when we discuss interviews or interrogations we are so focused on the alleged guilty party that we have tunnel vision towards an admission or a confession.  A professional interviewer understands that sometimes your prime suspect is innocent, or has a legitimate explanation for the evidence against them.   Leaving the interview with the truth, regardless of what it may be, should be the goal of a professional. It’s not just about the Interview. The skills we normally use to describe a...

Skilled Interviewers Only: “The Walk & Talk” Method

This article discusses a theory and approach to a modified form of general loss interviews.  Before making any practical use of this theory please partner with your respective supervisor and decision- makers at your company to ensure it complies with their guidelines.  This is an approach that takes a skilled, experienced interviewer to maneuver through the conversations appropriately. We have so many resources nowadays to help us identify internal theft or dishonesty.  Now we see IP cameras, remote monitoring, exception reporting, biometrics and other technology that provides us with alerts and reports pointing us to who the bad guys are in our company.  However, regardless of what technology is out there; sometimes the best resources to identify issues are the employees themselves.  They are a wealth of information; anything from knowing who is dating whom or which employee just got a DWI and is in some serious financial trouble.  Our employees can provide us with invaluable information initiating an otherwise vague investigation. Normally we would get a call from the boss regarding an awful shrink number and start scrambling, hoping that the answer is hidden in some exception report.  After looking for a few hours, calling your peers freaking out...