198. For interviews with people who may be traumatized, try to ensure their privacy and comfort. Avoid questions that imply victim-blaming; avoid jumping back and forth between sensitive and “safe” topics; and limit detailed questions about violent incidents, especially sexual and gender-based crimes, to what is essential for the investigation. 199. Build rapport and show empathy as appropriate. 200. Use neutral and culturally sensitive language. 201. Keep an open mind, be objective and remain non-judgmental. 4. Fact-finding 202. Record the interviewee’s identity, personal and contact details in a way that takes into account any security concerns. 203. Record the identity, personal and contact details of all others present at any time during the interview, taking into account security concerns. 204. Begin with non-controversial and less sensitive questions, to establish a rapport before addressing difficult topics. 205. Establish the interviewee’s relationship to events (e.g. is the person an eyewitness, a relative, an expert?). 206. Ask open-ended questions to understand the overall picture, such as “describe”, “explain” and “what happened next?”. 207. Avoid questions that imply a certain answer (leading questions) or that elicit yes/no answers (closed questions). 208. Keep questions as short and simple as possible; repeat or rephrase a question if the answer was unclear. 209. As the interview progresses, ask for details to establish timelines, identify relevant individuals and elicit facts that can later be checked. 210. Do not always accept the first answer given: persistent questioning, done respectfully, helps to obtain accurate information. 34 The Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death (2016) 211. Test information obtained from an interviewee against what the interviewer already knows or what can reasonably be established. 212. Ask interviewees to support their assertions with documents and other corroborative material. 213. Ask interviewees to draw maps and diagrams for clarification and, when safe, to show the interviewer locations relevant to the investigation. 214. Ask a wide range of questions to obtain information, but keep questions appropriate to the case. 215. When interviewing more than one person at a time is unavoidable, clearly record which person has provided what information. 216. Carefully observe the interviewee for signs of retraumatization. Take breaks or stop an interview when appropriate. Traumatized interviewees may have gaps or inconsistencies in their recollection of events. 217. The interviewee should be observed for any inappropriate or inconsistent responses to questions, which may transform the interviewee into a suspect. 218. When interviewing children – which, preferably, should be undertaken by a specially trained interviewer – use plain language, ask short questions and take frequent breaks. Stay attuned to the child’s medical and psychosocial needs, and provide service referrals as appropriate. 219. When interviewing people with disabilities, make sure they feel comfortable and safe. Speak directly to the person and maintain eye contact rather than interacting directly with a support person or, if present, the sign language interpreter. When interviewing someone who is blind or has limited vision, the interviewers should identify themselves and any others present. When interviewing someone with a mental or intellectual disability, ask simple questions and repeat them until understood. Provide referrals for medical and psychosocial needs as appropriate.