Which statement best describes the difference between an interview and an interrogation?

Which statement best describes the difference between an interview and an interrogation?

• A. Interrogation is information gathering from witnesses.
• B. An interview is a casual conversation with a witness.
• C. An interview is information gathering from witnesses.
• D. Interrogation is conducted before rights advisement.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is who is being questioned and for what purpose. An interview is information gathering from witnesses or others who have information about what happened; it’s typically non-accusatory and focused on collecting facts. An interrogation, in contrast, targets a suspect and aims to elicit a confession, usually in a more controlled setting and with rights advisement required before questioning a suspect. That’s why describing an interview as information gathering from witnesses best captures the difference. The other statements mix up who’s being questioned or describe the process in a way that isn’t accurate for interviews or interrogations.

The main idea is who is being questioned and for what purpose. An interview is information gathering from witnesses or others who have information about what happened; it’s typically non-accusatory and focused on collecting facts. An interrogation, in contrast, targets a suspect and aims to elicit a confession, usually in a more controlled setting and with rights advisement required before questioning a suspect. That’s why describing an interview as information gathering from witnesses best captures the difference. The other statements mix up who’s being questioned or describe the process in a way that isn’t accurate for interviews or interrogations.