Program Overview

This foundational training program equips investigators, compliance professionals, fraud examiners, and security personnel with essential capabilities for recognizing and understanding sophisticated strategic behavior during investigative interviews. Moving beyond traditional assumptions that subjects are either truthful or deceptive, this course focuses on the reality that modern subjects employ complex strategic frameworks including withholding, disclosure, mixed, and adaptive strategies.

Scientific Foundation

Based on recent meta-analytic research examining interrogation technique validity and breakthrough studies in counter-interrogation strategy recognition, our program addresses the documented reality that subjects use sophisticated strategic approaches regardless of whether investigators acknowledge them. The curriculum incorporates validated research on innocent interviewees’ planned counter-interrogation strategies and the Strategic Use of Evidence (SUE) technique, providing evidence-based alternatives to legacy confrontational methods.

Learning Objectives

Through comprehensive analysis of strategic behavior patterns, practical scenario exercises, and examination of strategic decision-making frameworks, participants will develop the ability to:

  • Identify Strategic Behavior Types: Recognize withholding strategies, disclosure strategies, mixed approaches, and adaptive strategic shifts that subjects naturally employ during interviews
  • Assess Strategic Indicators: Move beyond binary cooperation/resistance thinking to understand the sophisticated cost-benefit analyses subjects perform when determining information sharing approaches
  • Apply Strategic Recognition Skills: Distinguish between strategic withholding, partial cooperation, simple deception, and genuine compliance to ensure appropriate investigative responses
  • Implement Science-Based Evidence Management: Utilize strategic evidence revelation techniques that demonstrate investigative competence while working with rather than against strategic behavior
  • Avoid Legacy Method Pitfalls: Recognize how traditional confrontational approaches often trigger more sophisticated strategic resistance rather than promoting disclosure
  • Integrate Strategic Literacy: Develop comprehensive strategic assessment capabilities that improve information quality, case efficiency, and investigative relationships

Practical Application

Participants will analyze real-world scenarios involving corporate investigations, regulatory compliance matters, criminal cases, and internal misconduct inquiries. The program emphasizes recognition of strategic behavior in contexts ranging from financial fraud investigations to workplace misconduct cases involving educated, experienced, or legally represented subjects who naturally employ sophisticated approaches.

Evidence-Based Approach

This training reflects the latest academic research in strategic interviewing, incorporating findings from cognitive psychology, decision theory, and behavioral analysis. Our curriculum maintains strict adherence to scientifically-validated methodologies while avoiding outdated confrontational techniques that have been shown to increase rather than reduce strategic resistance.

Professional Development Foundation

The program addresses the fundamental reality that strategic behavior recognition has become essential for investigative effectiveness. Organizations that continue operating without strategic literacy find themselves increasingly disadvantaged when dealing with sophisticated subjects who use complex decision-making frameworks during interviews.

Testimonials

Mark’s training classes are a refreshing and engaging approach to gathering pertinent evidence during the interviewing process. Mark is extremely engaging and knowledgeable and presents the material in a way that draws the audience in.
Elizabeth L. Sherrod, CFE, LPI
Elizabeth L. Sherrod, CFE, LPICEO Sherrod Investigative Group, LLC Seminar Coordinator and Past President of the Knoxville ACFE
Mark’s training is engaging, approachable, and genuinely enjoyable, yet firmly grounded in the latest science.
Anthony Palmieri
Anthony PalmieriDeputy Inspector General | President, Palm Beach Economic Crimes Unit | Former President, National Guardianship Association
Mark has a myriad of law enforcement and public corruption investigation experience accumulated over many years that make him one of the highest rated instructors at the AIG Institutes. It is instructors of this caliber that help make the CIGI certification so valuable.
Stephen Street
Stephen StreetLouisiana State Inspector General
Mark Anderson is a vibrant, entertaining, engaging and knowledgeable speaker. The Jacksonville ACFE has had Mark speak at many of our engagements over the past few years. His style which includes stories, videos and audio clips to demonstrate points keeps the audience involved and leaves them wanting more no matter the length of the event.
Andrea ValentinVP Prepaid FIU at FSV Payment Systems (US Bank)
Mr. Anderson is uniquely qualified to develop and deliver interviewing and interrogation training to new and experienced criminal investigators, administrative investigators, auditors, inspectors, evaluators and other professionals charged with oversight, investigative, and law enforcement duties.
Robert RayDirector, Inspector General Criminal Investigator Academy
During Mark's tenure at the IG Academy, he managed or contributed significantly to the delivery of a majority of our training programs. Mark's expertise in investigative interviewing sets him apart. Mark is an outstanding and enthusiastic instructor who often received very favorable comments on his instruction and classroom management from both students and colleagues.
Angela HrdlickaIndependent Management, Security and Law Enforcement Consultant; Evernote Certified Consultant
I attended a training conducted by Mark regarding Ethics and Advanced Interviewing. By far, one of the best trainings I have received. Mark was engaging and knowledgeable on these issues. If you require investigations, interrogations, or interviewing training (to name a few) for your organization, I would highly recommend you contact Mark - immediately.
Julie HolladayInvestigator at TriCenturion
Our instructors are evaluated by the students who attend the Institute on a scale of 1 to 5. Mark has consistently received evaluations with an average score exceeding 4.5. He has been universally well received. He is an expert in his field and he delivers his lectures in an highly engaging, energetic and interactive way. He is certainly one of the highlights for our investigators during the week of training.
Philip ZismanJohn Jay College of Criminal Justice, Department of Public Management
Mark is without question one of the most technically qualified, knowledgeable, and dynamic trainers in the field of interviewing I have ever witnessed. As a certified trainer with nearly three decades of experience as an investigator, he possesses the hands on skill-set to present interviewing techniques in the most proficient and educational way thereby allowing the students to gain invaluable knowledge.
Tom CaulfieldCOO, Procurement Integrity Consulting Services
"Without a doubt, some of the best interviewing training I've ever seen and sent my detectives to. Mark has the innate gift of interviewing, but what makes him especially good his how his practices, styles, and trainings evolve as he learns more from science-based information then applies it to the field."
Brian PeeteDirector, Riley County Police Department
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FAQ

ask us anything

Anderson Investigative Associates (AIA) is a professional training organization specializing in customized, science-based interview and investigative training for organizations across law enforcement, corporate, audit, human resources, and inspection sectors.

AIA offers training in human resources interviewing, investigative interviewing, audit/inspection/evaluation, leadership and communication, trauma-informed interviewing, cognitive interviewing, evidence collection techniques, and more — all customized to client needs.

Science-based interviewing refers to methodologies rooted in cognitive psychology and behavioral science research that improve information accuracy, reduce investigative bias, and enhance the quality of interviews and investigations.

AIA’s training is designed for professionals in law enforcement, auditing, internal investigations, human resources, corporate security, inspection, evaluation, and other roles where effective information gathering and interviewing are critical.

Yes. AIA specializes in fully customized training solutions tailored to an organization’s specific operational requirements, training gaps, culture, and investigative challenges.

Training can be structured in various formats — from one-day workshops to multi-day immersive courses — and includes interactive exercises, realistic scenarios, and hands-on practice.

Some courses include Cognitive Interviewing, Counter-Interrogation Strategies, Science-Based Rapport Building, Strategic Interview Planning, Evidence Disclosure and Strategic Empathy, and Advanced Trauma-Informed Interviewing.

Science-based approaches improve investigative outcomes by maximizing the reliability and accuracy of information obtained, minimizing bias, and creating defensible methods suitable for legal and professional scrutiny.

Yes. AIA provides training tailored to human resources professionals for employee interviews, misconduct investigations, conflict resolution, and documentation practices that align with legal and organizational standards.

You can contact AIA through their website’s Contact page or by calling their office number provided on the site.