Which statement is true regarding the purpose of subject interrogation?

Which statement is true regarding the purpose of subject interrogation?

• A. It is intended to elicit information from anyone regardless of their knowledge.
• B. It is intended to obtain factual information from someone who may have it, has not admitted to having it, and knows who investigators are and why they want it.
• C. It is designed to force statements even if information is not relevant.
• D. It is used to collect physical evidence only.

Answer: (B)

The idea behind subject interrogation is to obtain factual information from a person who may have knowledge about the case and who understands who the investigators are and why they are interviewing him or her. This helps ensure the information gathered is relevant and can be evaluated or corroborated, since the person is a potential source of firsthand details and is aware of the purpose of the inquiry. Interrogation isn’t about forcing statements or capturing irrelevant remarks, nor is it solely about collecting physical evidence, which come from other parts of the investigation.

The idea behind subject interrogation is to obtain factual information from a person who may have knowledge about the case and who understands who the investigators are and why they are interviewing him or her. This helps ensure the information gathered is relevant and can be evaluated or corroborated, since the person is a potential source of firsthand details and is aware of the purpose of the inquiry. Interrogation isn’t about forcing statements or capturing irrelevant remarks, nor is it solely about collecting physical evidence, which come from other parts of the investigation.