Preparing for the interview. Investigators should be well prepared and consider, in advance, the interview’s purpose. They should ensure that all relevant information is at hand and develop questions that will elicit the information required. All logistical arrangements should also be considered and concluded before the interview takes place. Introducing the process. Investigators should introduce themselves and describe the purpose and the process of the interview. The interviewee should be put at ease and be reassured that confidentiality will be protected during the investigation, if so desired. Various steps can be taken to ensure this: the interviewee’s name can be suppressed from the investigative report; the interviewee’s identity can be withheld from the respondent if there is a real threat to a witness or a party. Again, the investigator needs to balance these measures against the right of the respondents to know the case against them. Obtaining testimony. The active phase of the interview—getting the interviewee’s account—is the crucial part of the process. The investigator should let the interviewee speak without interruption. (If the person is getting seriously off-track, the investigator may guide him or her back to relevant issues.) It is especially important to use active listening techniques—maintain eye contact; nod to affirm that you are listening and understand; summarize what has been said—to encourage the person to speak freely and openly. The investigator should, however, take quick notes on matters that might require follow-up questioning. The investigator should then probe what has been said. It is important at this time to ensure that all relevant details are elicited so that the investigator fully understands what is being said and can, where necessary, test the credibility of the interviewee. The investigator should use generally accepted interview techniques: ■■ Use open-ended questions, avoiding negative phrasing or leading questions; ■■ Avoid judgemental comments; ■■ Check for assumptions by asking: “How do you know that?”; promote focused retrieval (bring witnesses back to the event by asking them to close their eyes and recreate the experience); ■■ Avoid jargon/technical language; ■■ Allow time after the witness has finished to ensure that he or she has nothing more to add. Where credibility is an issue, the investigator might consider “bouncing around”, that is, asking questions out of sequence, or asking the same question at different times and in different formulations. It is also important for the investigator never to tell one witness what another has said. This could not only breach confidentiality but also influence what the witness says. Document the interview. The investigator should document the interview, preferably at the time of the interview or shortly thereafter. This usually involves writing interview notes—a summary of the relevant information provided by the witness. These notes should be shared with the witness, who should agree with them. Some institutions ask the witness to sign the notes as an affirmation of agreement with them. In all cases, however, the investigator should date and sign the notes to establish it as evidence. Weighing evidence and preparing an investigation report While it is not possible to define with precision at what point the accumulated evidence is “enough”, certain principles should be kept in mind. 87