Question 1

When obtaining a written statement during an admission-seeking interview, the investigator should prepare the statement for the confessor to sign.

Accepted Answer

Generally, the investigator will prepare a written statement of the confession for the confessing party to sign in order to provide evidence of their confession.

Question 2

When obtaining a written confession during an admission-seeking interview, which of the following is not an item that should be included in the written statement?

Accepted Answer

Promising leniency in exchange for a confession can be seen as coercion and may result in the confession being deemed involuntary and inadmissible in court. It is best to obtain a confession through ethical and legal means without making promises or threats. The other options (A, C, and D) are appropriate to include in a written confession.

Question 3

In an admission-seeking interview, once the accused has provided a verbal confession, the interviewer should focus on obtaining:

Accepted Answer

Once a verbal confession has been made, the interviewer should not stop there. It is still important to obtain information such as the amount of money involved in the offense, the motive for the offense, and the names of any other individuals involved in the crime. This information can be helpful in building a strong case and may even uncover additional evidence or accomplices. Therefore, all of the above options are important to obtain in an admission-seeking interview.

Question 4

During an admission-seeking interview in which an accusation has been made, the respondent will normally object to the accusation and attempt to deny it. When you are convinced of the respondent's guilt, it is important to:

Accepted Answer

Interrupting the denial can help prevent the respondent from further deceiving or covering up their guilt. It is important to steer the conversation towards a confession or admission of the truth.

Question 5

During an admission-seeking interview, the accused individual will likely present reasons why he or she could not have committed the offense. When this occurs, the fraud examiner should step in and diffuse these alibis by:

Accepted Answer

Diffusing alibis requires a multi-faceted approach. The fraud examiner should discuss the accused's deceptions, display physical evidence contradicting the alibi, and discuss the testimony of other witnesses to effectively diffuse the alibi. Using all three tactics will help to break down the accused's defenses and encourage them to confess to the offense.

Question 6

During an admission-seeking interview, Andrew Douglas, the primary suspect, repeatedly began his responses with the phrase "to tell the truth." Additionally, he had trouble remembering several key facts regarding the events in question, even though his memory of the small details was excellent. Andrew's verbal clues likely indicate that he is being truthful.

Accepted Answer

Andrew's repeated use of the phrase "to tell the truth" may indicate that he is trying to convince the interviewer of his honesty. Additionally, his difficulty in remembering key facts may suggest that he is trying to fabricate a story. Therefore, his verbal clues do not necessarily indicate that he is being truthful.

Question 7

Oral confessions are as legally binding as written confessions.

Accepted Answer

In most cases, oral confessions are considered legally binding as long as they are voluntarily given and corroborated by other evidence. However, there may be some exceptions depending on the circumstances of the case and the laws of the jurisdiction.

Question 8

Private employers conducting an internal investigation are generally required to give Miranda warnings before commencing an admission-seeking interview with a non-union employee.

Accepted Answer

Miranda warnings apply only to government actors during custodial interrogations. Private employers are not required to give Miranda warnings before conducting an admission-seeking interview with a non-union employee. However, it is generally recommended to inform the employee of their rights and the purpose of the interview before proceeding with the questioning.

Question 9

All notes taken by the interviewer should be preserved, as they may be needed if the case goes to trial.

Accepted Answer

Notes taken by the interviewer should be preserved as they may be used as evidence if the case goes to trial. It's always good to keep a record of all the information gathered during an interview.

Question 10

When the subject of an investigation has been accused of misconduct, establishing a morally acceptable rationalization might allow the accused to reconcile his actions with his conscience. Which of the following is not an example of an acceptable rationalization?

Accepted Answer

The rationalization that the accused is a bad person by nature does not excuse the misconduct or provide a valid justification for it. It is important to focus on the actions and motivations behind the misconduct rather than simply labeling the accused as a bad person. Acceptable rationalizations might include circumstances beyond the accused's control, pressure from superiors, or a perceived benefit to the organization.

Question 11

James Turner, CFE, was called in to investigate a sales skimming case at Durant Hardware. During an admission-seeking interview of Nadia Brown, the primary suspect, James asked, "Did you just want some extra money, or did you do this because you had financial problems?" Nadia began crying and nodded yes. This small admission as a response to James' question is called a:

Accepted Answer

The answer of James Turner, CFE, was called in to...

Question 12

Generally, there is nothing illegal about accusing an innocent person of misdeeds as long as:

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed (A, B, and C) are necessary conditions for making an accusation against an innocent person without breaking the law. If the accuser has a reasonable belief that the accused has committed an offense (A), makes the accusation in private and under reasonable conditions (B), and does not use any coercive tactics to elicit a false confession (C), they should be in the clear. However, it is worth noting that falsely accusing someone can have serious consequences, both legally and socially, and should not be done lightly.

Quiz 15: Interviewing Witnesses