Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

Why do police conduct interviews with individuals?

1. To persuade them to confess

2. To identify witnesses, suspects, and gather information

3. To conduct background checks

4. To increase their interrogation skills

The correct answer is: To identify witnesses, suspects, and gather information

Police conduct interviews primarily to identify witnesses, suspects, and gather vital information that can assist in their investigations. Through interviews, officers aim to collect accounts of events, establish timelines, and obtain various perspectives about a case. This process is crucial for assembling a clear narrative of what transpired, which may also lead to the identification of additional witnesses or suspects that were not initially known. While persuasion may occur during interviews, the main goal is not simply to extract confessions but to explore the surrounding circumstances in a comprehensive manner. Conducting background checks is more systematic and often occurs through separate channels, not directly through interviews. Moreover, while police do seek to improve their interrogation skills, this is not the primary purpose of conducting interviews with individuals, which focuses on active engagement to gather information relevant to their investigations. Thus, the primary function of interviews is to enhance the investigation by extracting relevant details from those who may have first-hand knowledge about the incident.