Remember that your body language and simple comments can work to encourage the suspect to give a more detailed and full account. This includes showing signs of interest and that you are actively listening to what they have to say. This can be shown by a simple nodding of the head or commenting “that’s interesting” or “I see”. Questions From the suspect’s account you will identify areas that require you to prompt them into giving further detail. You may need them to provide more specific information and throw light on areas that remain unclear or about which they appear ambivalent. As you encourage the suspect to explain further you should continue to focus on using open-ended questions to elicit as much information as possible, without shaping or constraining their responses. At the beginning you may not be directly challenging the suspect but rather letting them know that you need further information and they should proceed until they feel that they have given “their” full account. After this you will raise your own points as you will have a number of pieces of evidence to establish in regard to the crime. You will wish to introduce evidence that may not already have been explained by the suspect in their account and seek their explanation as to, for example: why they were at the crime scene, why their fingerprints were found on the door handle or why the stolen property was in their car. You can also present physical evidence or photographic images as part of your questioning, for example: “Do you recognise this screwdriver?” You will have already prepared your “exhibits” and planned how to introduce them into your questioning. As you use your information tactically you will have given the suspect the opportunity to “explain” or account for it before disclosure. For example, if their fingerprints were found at the scene of a crime that occurred on a Tuesday, you might ask how they spent that Tuesday. Do they admit to being at the scene or claim to have been elsewhere? If you begin by saying “your fingerprints were found at the scene” then they may construct a reason as to why they were there in response. Remember that you are always questioning with an open mind. You need to hear what the suspect has to say by way of explanation rather than assume that you know the reason for these facts. The suspect may have a plausible and innocent explanation that equally fits all the facts. After this you may need to move on and address areas where there are inconsistencies between the account given by the suspect and evidence or information already in your possession. These points will have The interview process ► Page 25