Prof. Dr. phil. Henriette Haas

Forensic and investigative interviewing techniques

This enhanced interviewing-technique is based on principles of cognitive psychology. Different phases of the interview require different techniques, going slowly from very open questions to more focused (like a funnel). The crucial step is the initial question to collect an open statement about the event or topic. The most important advice to all interviewers is patience, empathy and a friendly form of silence, so as to allow the interviewees to retrieve their memories and to consider freely their answers or arguments. The goal is to obtain a maximum of reliable and precise information from a person while respecting her rights and also her cognitive and educational characteristics.

Examination of the validity and credibility of statements and arguments

The truthfullness of verbal accounts can be assessed with a heuristic of five dimensions. Those were derived from epistemology and research ethics. The procedure allows to examine witness' statements, experts' assessments and reports, journalism, as well as qualitative research. Those five dimensions are: I. Sources: precise information about the sources of the persons knowledge and where could one find more. II. Statements are presented with formal commitment: they are understandable and falsifiable, they are not evasive, vague, or overly complex. III. Internal consistency: the statements of the account do not contradict each other, no duplicity. IV. External correspondence: the account corresponds to other facts of the investigation; they do not violate the veto of the sources or the laws of nature. V. Causality and intent are also specified - if possible (this dimension applies to experts' reports and research)

• Haas, H. (2019). Zur Validitätsprüfung von Argumenten in Rechtsschriften. Die Schweizer Richterzeitung "Justice - Justiz – Giustizia". 2019/1.  ZORA: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-170913

Foundations of knowledge, weight of evidence, the demarcation problem between "proof" and "falseness"

Solid networks of evidence can be distinguished by their inner coherence and their density of facts. Those facts are interconnected, because in real events, actions and reactions are related to each other and to the environment. Deceptive narratives are constructed with cherry-picked details. Those are often isolated from each other and they are based on misunderstandings, fragments taken out of context or even several small lies (each of one be pretended to be only an "error"). Such false "mosaics" typically rely on logical fallacies, biases and rhetoric to boost their claims and to cover up missing evidence.

Related topics

• Investigative Psychology
• Systematic Observation of Signs, Abduction of Hypotheses and Interpretation of Evidence
• Extremism
• Threat Assessment
• Criminal Psychology and Victimology

• Haas, H., Wacker, S. & ILL, Ch. (9. Okt. 2017). Bauernfängerei: Urteilsunfähige als Opfer von Vorschussbetrug - Anmerkungen zum Nachweis der Arglist der Täter. Jusletter.  ZORA: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-148792

List of publications:

http://www.henriette-haas.com/Biblio.html

CV:

http://www.henriette-haas.com/CV.de.html

• Aussagen- und Einvernahmepsychologie im CAS Forensics (Staatsanwaltsakademie, Universität Luzern)
• Aussagen- und Einvernahmepsychologie im CAS Judikative (Schweizerische Richterakademie, Universität Luzern)