Nathan J Gordon, William L Fleisher
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point at no one.
Score: –1 Fails to narrow the investigation.
Q: Who would you eliminate that had access; would say definitely didn’t take it?
A: A couple people: me, Tina and Tom.
Score: þ1 Narrows the investigation.
Q: What do you think should happen to the person that took the ring when they are caught?
A: . . . Made to pay for it.
Score: –1 Not a very severe punishment.
Q: Would you give them a second chance?
A: . . . Yeah. I mean it depends on if they keep doing it or if they have problems.
Score: –1 Weak response.
Q: How do you think the investigation will turn out concerning you, and whether or not you took that
missing ring?
A: Hopefully it should be okay.
Score: –1 “Hopefully” is a hedge.
Q: Would there be any reason evidence would turn up indicating you did take it?
A: No.
Score: þ2 No hesitation or adaptors.
Q: Would you be willing to chip in so we could recover the loss, and just drop the investigation?
A: No.
Score: þ3
Q: Why would someone do something like this?
A: . . . I don’t know, because they’re dishonest, maybe.
Score: 0 Weak answer.
Q: Do you think the ring was stolen?
A: I honestly think it was put in the trash. I hate to say that, but I believe that.
194
11. THE VALIDATION OF THE FORENSIC ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW (FAINT)
Score: 0 Implies no crime took place.
Q: Do you know for sure what happened to it?
A: No, I can’t be for sure.
Score: 0 Shortest answer is the best answer.
Q: If you were the investigator, how would you conduct this investigation?
A: I don’t know. I’m not an investigator.
Score: –1 No suggestions on how to conduct the investigation.
Q: What are the five main reasons you think this problem occurred?
A: Five reasons? I don’t know why there would be reasons. I think it was mistakenly thrown out. I can’t
believe anyone there took it. It’s supposed to be a sterile room, but people come in and out. We make rules, but they’re not followed through for long.
Score: –1 Again implies no crime took place.
Q: If you were the interviewer and could only have asked three questions to resolve this problem, what
would you have asked?
A: Did you take the ring? Who do you think did it? Do you think it was thrown in the trash?
Score: þ1 Suggests good relevant questions.
This suspect’s FAINT score was a þ6, which is inconclusive. A þ7 or higher would have
been indicative of truth, and a –4 or lower indicative of deception.
CASE STUDY 3
In this case study a tote of controlled substances was stolen from a warehouse.
Q: Where do you work?
A: ABC Delivery.
Q: How long have you worked there?
A: Three years.
Q: What do you do?
A: I’m a supervisor.
Q: How do you like working there?
A: I love it.
Q: What is this interview and investigation about?
A: A missing narcotic that is missing somewhere along the delivery route.
Q: Why were you selected to be interviewed?
A: I guess to clear my name.
Q: How do you feel about being interviewed?
A: A little nervous, I’ve never done this before. I have nothing to hide.
Q: Write in detail what you know about this and how you would explain it.
A: The reason why I am here today is to interviewed so I may clear my name in an issue of whether or
not I was involved in any way of the theft of a stolen narcotic tote at ABC Delivery. The tote in question was
CASE STUDY 3
195
a “rebilled” narcotic, where there was a problem filling the tote inside the vault where they are staged due to lack of supply. These “rebills” come out later than the rest of the drugs. I never saw them put the tote in the cage where they are locked up. I remember giving out the drugs to the driver who the tote that is missing is in question. I had no knowledge that there was a rebill in with his route nor can I 100% remember how
many sheets I had given him. After that, later in the day I was informed that it was missing. That is why
I’m here today.
Q: If you were the investigator, how would you handle this investigation?
A: Maybe do police checks, see if anyone has a criminal record. Check with past employers and see if
anyone had a problem at a previous job stealing.
Q: What are the five major reasons this incident took place?
A: I don’t know five. Someone is a drug addict or thief I would guess.
Q: Did you ever think about doing anything like this?
A: No, no way, I wouldn’t jeopardize my livelihood like that.
Q: Did you take any of those missing narcotics?
A: No.
Q: If you had to suspect someone, who would you suspect?
A: I’m not sure, it goes through so many hands throughout the day, I’m not sure.
Q: Who would you say definitely didn’t take it, other than yourself?
A: Both of the other supervisors, Jim and Greg.
Q: What do you think should happen to the person that took the narcotics when they are caught?
A: They should go to jail.
Q: Would you give them a second chance?
A: No, for making me go through this, no way.
Q: How do you think the interviews and investigation will turn out concerning you, and whether or not
you took the narcotics?
A: 100 percent not guilty.
Q: Would there be any reason evidence would turn up indicating you did take it?
A: No.
Q: Would you be willing to chip in so we could recover the loss, and just drop the investigation?
A: I don’t feel it’s my responsibility, no.
Q: Did you tell anyone about what happened?
A: My girlfriend and supervisor at work.
Q: Why would someone do something like this?
A: Addiction problem, needs money, sell them on the street.
Q: Do you think the narcotics were stolen, or could they be misplaced?
A: I don’t know, so many hands, it’s hard to tell.
Q: Do you know for sure who took it?
A: No.
Q: If you had been the interviewer and could only have asked three questions to resolve this issue, what
would you have asked?
A: Did you take those missing narcotics? Did you plan with anyone to take those missing narcotics? Do
you know who took those missing narcotics?
Analysis of Case Study 3
Q: Where do you work?
A: ABC Delivery.
Q: How long have you worked there?
A: Three years.
Q: What do you do?
A: I’m a supervisor.
Q: How do you like working there?
A: I love it.
196
11. THE VALIDATION OF THE FORENSIC ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW (FAINT)
Score: þ3 Positive answer, without any hesitation or adaptors.
Q: What is this interview and investigation about?
A: A missing narcotic that is missing somewhere along the delivery route.
Score: þ2 States what the investigation is about.
Q: Why were you selected to be interviewed?
A: I guess to clear my name.
Score: 0 Does not give any reason why he would have been a suspect.
Q: How do you feel about being interviewed?
A: A little nervous, I
’ve never done this before. I have nothing to hide.
Score: þ2 We expect truthful suspects to be nervous. States he has nothing to hide
before being asked.
Q: Write in detail what you know about this and how you would explain it.
A: The reason why I am here today is to interviewed so I may clear my name in an issue of whether or
not I was involved in any way of the theft of a stolen narcotic tote at ABC Delivery. The tote in question was a “rebilled” narcotic, where there was a problem filling the tote inside the vault where they are staged due to lack of supply. These “rebills” come out later than the rest of the drugs. I never saw them put the tote in the cage where they are locked up. I remember giving out the drugs to the driver who the tote that is missing is in question. I had no knowledge that there was a rebill in with his route nor can I 100% remember how
many sheets I had given him. After that, later in the day I was informed that it was missing. That is why
I’m here today.
Score: þ1 Gives details of investigative issue that would allow for the construction of
good relevant questions.
Q: If you were the investigator, how would you handle this investigation?
A: Maybe do police checks, see if anyone has a criminal record. Check with past employers and see if
anyone had a problem at a previous job stealing.
Score: þ1 Gives positive suggestions.
Q: What are the five major reasons this incident took place?
A: I don’t know five. Someone is a drug addict or thief I would guess.
Score: þ1 Looks down on the person who committed the theft.
Q: Did you ever think about doing anything like this?
A: No, no way, I wouldn’t jeopardize my livelihood like that.
Score: þ1 No hesitation or adaptors.
Q: Did you take any of those missing narcotics?
A: No.
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197
Score: þ1 No hesitation or adaptors.
Q: If you had to suspect someone, who would you suspect?
A: I’m not sure, it goes through so many hands throughout the day, I’m not sure.
Score: 0 Does not narrow the investigation.
Q: Who would you say definitely didn’t take it, other than yourself?
A: Both of the other supervisors, Jim and Greg.
Score: þ3 Narrows the investigation.
Q: What do you think should happen to the person that took the narcotics when they are caught?
A: They should go to jail.
Score: þ2 Suggests strong punishment.
Q: Would you give them a second chance?
A: No, for making me go through this, no way.
Score: þ2 No second chance. Truthful people often show resentment for the person
who committed the crime because that person has now caused them to be a suspect and
involved them in an investigation.
Q: How do you think the interviews and investigation will turn out concerning you, and whether or not
you took the narcotics?
A: 100 percent not guilty.
Score: þ2 Positive answer.
Q: Would there be any reason evidence would turn up indicating you did take it?
A: No.
Score: þ2 No hesitation or adaptors.
Q: Would you be willing to chip in so we could recover the loss, and just drop the investigation?
A: I don’t feel it’s my responsibility, no.
Score: þ3 Refusal to chip in.
Q: Did you tell anyone about what happened?
A: My girlfriend and supervisor at work.
Q: Why would someone do something like this?
A: Addiction problem, needs money, sell them on the street.
Score: þ1 Negative view of person that would do this.
Q: Do you think the narcotics were stolen, or could they be misplaced?
A: I don’t know, so many hands, it’s hard to tell.
198
11. THE VALIDATION OF THE FORENSIC ASSESSMENT INTERVIEW (FAINT)
Score: 0 Does not commit that a theft has taken place.
Q: Do you know for sure who took it?
A: No.
Score: þ2 No hesitation or adaptors.
Q: If you had been the interviewer and could only have asked three questions to resolve this issue, what
would you have asked?
A: Did you take those missing narcotics? Did you plan with anyone to take those missing narcotics? Do
you know who took those missing narcotics?
Score: þ1 Constructs strong relevant questions.
This suspect’s FAINT score was a þ30, indicative of a truthful person.
CASE STUDY 4
In this case study an adult male was accused of having sexual intercourse with a minor
female.
Q: Where do you work?
A: Don’t. On social security disability.
Q: Finish this sentence for me, this interview and investigation is about?
A: About my case. Whether I’m telling the truth.
Q: Why do they want you to be interviewed?
A: Uh . . . because he says he’s not satisfied with my answers to my case. At first I wouldn’t admit any
thing, then I admitted it, cause I was embarrassed, but also some of the stuff is wrong.
Q: How do you feel about being interviewed?
A: Eh . . . kind of resentful I have to take it and pay when I am living in a shelter and on a fixed income.
Q: Write in detail what your case was about and how you would explain it.
A: I was living in a house on the 2600 block of Livingston Street where I was having problems with my
landlord. My friend John offered to allow me to live at his house in a room in the 2nd floor back. Once
I moved in he started to move others in where it wound up being 17 adults and children. It was a crazy
house and a lot of drugs were being sold there. Also while I was there John’s girlfriend’s daughter (Maddie) xxx had been sexually harassed by some of John’s friends, while I was there and I had to intervene. Nothing
was done about this by John or his girlfriend. Also during this time John asked if I could help him and the
family with learning how to use their computer. I had my computer in my room and they had theirs in Mad
die’s room. One day when I was on my computer and a seventeen year old girl IM’ed me. I didn’t want to
speak to her as she was too young. Maddie (16) and John’s son Ray (17) were in the room watching T.V. so
I put them online with her. After about 15 20 mins. I made them get off as I had to go to work. The girl and Maddie became friends and spoke for a few weeks before Maddie asked me if I could lighten a couple of
pictures she wanted to send the girl. I didn’t think anything and said sure send them to my email. Their
whole family had my email but I think I might have told her it again I’m not sure since it’s so long ago. Once I down loaded the picture and saw what the were I got scared and pissed at the same time. One was of Mad
die half naked from the waist up from the side and the other was of her from the back looking back. When
I asked her why she trusted me xxx to not say anything. I refused to lighten them and she threatened to tell John and her mom that her and I were having sex. I deleted the photos from computer and tried to get set up
to move. I the mean time Maddie told her cousin we were having sex. Her cousin told John and Maddie’s
mom and I got thrown out of the house. They kept all my property and gave the computer to the police.
Q: If you had been the investigator how would you have conducted the investigation?
CASE STUDY 4
199
A: First, I would have questioned John a little bit better.
Q: What are the five most important reasons this sit
uation occurred?
A: Five reasons? First, is my stupidity, but most is the SUV Police not questioning John properly.
Q: Did you ever think about doing something like this?
A: . . . Particularly underage? No.
Q: Did you have sexual intercourse with Maddie?
A: No. She wanted to though, so did her mom. She would jump on my lap and stuff.
Q: Why did she say this if it wasn’t true?
A: . . . Eh . . . I tried to figure that out. She had a lot of problems. I think a lot had to do her mom told me her father molested her from the age of 8 to 14, and she told me too. I gave her mom the book, “Why Me?”
She’s really gay; she likes girls.
Q: If someone did do what she said, what do you think should happen to them?
A: I don’t know. I don’t think it’s right.
Q: If it was their first offense, do you think they should get a second chance?
A: It’s hard for me to say because my grand dad and grand mom were separated in age pretty far.
Q: How do you think the investigation will turn out today concerning whether you had intercourse with
Maddie?
A: I don’t know.
Q: Why do you think people do things like this sometimes?
A: I don’t know.
Q: If you were the interviewer today, and could have only asked three questions to resolve this case,
what would you have asked?
A: . . . (Whispers to self, “What would I ask?”) . . . (hand to mouth) . . . Well, one is the basic question (clears throat) “Did you have sex with her?” (clears throat). Beyond that I don’t know.
Analysis of Case Study 4
Q: Where do you work?
A: Don’t. On social security disability.
Q: Finish this sentence for me, this interview and investigation is about?
A: About my case. Whether I’m telling the truth.
Score: 2 Does not allow for construction of a relevant question.
Q: Why do they want you to be interviewed?
A: Uh . . . because he says he’s not satisfied with my answers to my case. At first I wouldn’t admit any
thing, then I admitted it, cause I was embarrassed, but also some of the stuff is wrong.
Score: 0 Still does not tell us what the investigation is about. Note – only “some of the
stuff is wrong,” which means some is correct.
Q: How do you feel about being interviewed?