What type of questions should never be asked by investigators?

What type of questions should never be asked by investigators?

• A. Leading/Suggestive
• B. Open-Ended
• C. Closed-Ended
• D. Clarifying

Answer: (A)

Leading or suggestive questions should never be asked because they push the witness toward a particular answer and can contaminate the testimony. The aim of an investigative interview is to gather accurate, unbiased information, letting the witness describe what they saw or heard in their own words. When questions imply a specific conclusion or hint at what happened, they can reflect the interviewer’s expectations rather than the truth. Open-ended questions encourage detailed, natural narratives and reduce bias, while clarifying questions help resolve anything unclear without steering the response. Closed-ended questions can be useful to confirm facts, but they limit information and shouldn’t be the sole technique.

Leading or suggestive questions should never be asked because they push the witness toward a particular answer and can contaminate the testimony. The aim of an investigative interview is to gather accurate, unbiased information, letting the witness describe what they saw or heard in their own words. When questions imply a specific conclusion or hint at what happened, they can reflect the interviewer’s expectations rather than the truth. Open-ended questions encourage detailed, natural narratives and reduce bias, while clarifying questions help resolve anything unclear without steering the response. Closed-ended questions can be useful to confirm facts, but they limit information and shouldn’t be the sole technique.