Discipline: Administration of Justice Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Administration of Justice A6A


COURSE DESCRIPTION
A6A Interview and Interrogation Course Units: 0.25
 
Prerequisite(s): None.

Limitation on Enrollment: Must be currently employed by a law enforcement agency and have POST or STC certification.
This course will provide the student with the fundamentals and techniques for properly interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects in a field setting. Methods for preparing for an interview, establishing a rapport with people, and interview strategies will be discussed. Additionally, methods for using a tape recorder and techniques for manually recording an interview, along with dealing with different personalities and ethnic groups will be covered. 6 hours lecture and 2 hours laboratory.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
This course will provide the fundamentals and techniques for properly interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects in a field setting.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
None.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1.    Demonstrate the techniques for establishing a background on persons to be interviewed

2.    Demonstrate proper interview and interrogation techniques

3.    Describe the process in establishing rapport

4.    Assess advanced interview/interrogation tactics

5.    Demonstrate the uses of interview/interrogation assistants, such as tape recorders and notes

6.    Analyze the purpose and use of Miranda warnings

7.    Demonstrate how to deal with different personalities and ethnic groups
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 

1.    Myths and Definitions of interviewing will be described
        a.    Dispelling myths
        b.    Understanding fundamental difference between interview & interrogation
2.    Preparing for the interview will be discussed.
        a.    Review of case information / elements of the crime
        b.    Timing
        c.    Location of the interview
        d.    Room set-up
        e.    How many interviewers?
3.    The interview will be discussed step-by-step
        a.    Rapport Building
        b.    Question formation
        c.    Alibis
        d.    Verification
4.    Devices Used in Interviewing and Interrogations will be discussed
        a.    Tape recording
        b.    Polygraph
5.    Theme development will be explained
        a.    Definition
        b.    Considerations
6.    The Interrogation will be discussed step-by-step
        a.    Transformation from interview to interrogation
b.    Time considerations
c.    Confrontation
d.    Documentation
e.    Catch-all questions
f.    Departure
g.    Critique

Students are also assigned reading, writing and other outside assignments equivalent to two hours per one hour lecture.
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

1.    Presentation of class lectures/discussions/demonstrations in order to give the students the knowledge in interviewing and interrogation techniques
2.    Videos/films/audio tapes will be used in order for students to see and hear actual interviews and interrogations.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

1.    A practical exercise involving scenarios where each student will demonstrate their skills in interviewing and interrogating simulated actual cases.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

57