I suspect that many of you have not heard about WISCI, or you think I have a spelling disorder, or have been drinking too much of it. Up to last week, I, too, was unfamiliar with the name or the research that could be very beneficial to our work in interviewing. Upon learning about it, and considering it importance, I thought of many of my cases where its application would have been beneficial.
This topic also falls into evidence-based practices and is relevant to multiple witness interviews, investigative planning and strategy, and quality interviewing to maximize quality information. This article is simply a primer to gain some understanding of the topic and I will include a link so that you can see the original source material for this.
As you read this article, consider where in the landscape of your interviewing this could be useful. Although directed at critical incidents, don’t limit your consideration to only that area. It is like trauma informed interviewing, which is essential in victim and witness cases, but I have used it in subject interviews with success because that individual presented themselves as a victim. Applicability can transcend the original design.
When critical incidents occur—whether major crimes, disasters, or events involving multiple witnesses—effective witness interviewing is crucial for gathering reliable and complete information. The Witness Interview Strategy for Critical Incidents (WISCI) offers a structured framework to handle these high-stakes situations, ensuring that the complexity of such events is met with a systematic and evidence-based approach. Key here is effective planning and strategizing for our response.
Why WISCI?
Traditional interviewing methods may fall short during large-scale incidents, where the sheer number of witnesses and the diversity of their accounts can overwhelm investigators. WISCI addresses this by providing a clear, adaptable strategy designed to maximize the quality of information while minimizing contamination or loss of critical details.
This approach is particularly applicable to:
- Major incidents such as terrorist attacks, mass casualty events, or large-scale accidents.
- Scenarios with multiple witnesses, where coordinating interviews and preserving the integrity of their accounts is paramount.
What are the Core Principles of WISCI?
At its heart, WISCI emphasizes:
- Early and efficient planning to prioritize witnesses and streamline the interview process.
- Minimizing memory contamination by separating witnesses and using evidence-based open-ended questioning techniques and the cognitive interview.
- Flexibility to adapt the strategy to the scale and nature of the incident. It is customizable by planning and strategizing.
Procedural Steps to Implement WISCI
The WISCI approach unfolds in several key stages:
1. Preparation and Witness Prioritization
- Establish a coordination team to oversee the interviewing process.
- Identify key witnesses, such as those with a direct view of the event or critical knowledge, using a triage system.
- Separate witnesses immediately to prevent discussion or cross-contamination of memories.
2. Initial Information Gathering
- Conduct brief, structured initial interviews (e.g., Rapid Initial Witness Accounts, or RIWAs) to capture essential details about the event.
- Use open-ended prompts like “Can you tell me what you saw?” to encourage free recall without leading questions.
3. Comprehensive Interviews
- Schedule in-depth interviews based on the initial accounts, prioritizing witnesses with the most valuable information.
- Apply techniques like the Cognitive Interview (CI) to enhance recall while maintaining accuracy.
4. Ongoing Monitoring and Adaptation
- Regularly review the collected information to refine the strategy and identify gaps.
- Adapt questioning based on emerging evidence or new developments in the investigation.
5. Collaborative Analysis and Integration
- Use technology and team-based approaches to consolidate witness accounts, identifying consistencies and discrepancies.
- Ensure that findings are cross-referenced with physical evidence and other investigative leads.
Benefits of WISCI
By adopting the WISCI framework, investigators can:
- Reduce the risk of memory contamination.
- Enhance the reliability and completeness of witness accounts.
- Manage large-scale incidents more effectively by prioritizing resources.
Conclusion
The WISCI approach provides a roadmap for handling the complexities of critical incidents with multiple witnesses. By emphasizing preparation, structured interviews, and adaptability, it equips investigators to extract accurate and actionable information, ultimately supporting the pursuit of justice in challenging circumstances.
As your strategize your continued growth in interviewing and see the possibilities for the applicability of the WISCI approach, you can find the source document at: https://pure.port.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/10798590/Witness_Interview_Strategy_for_Critical_Incidents.pdf. This was insightful work completed by academicians and practitioners working together. The value of this approach is seen in the product.
Anderson Investigative Associates is positioned to custom-tailor training to your specific needs. If you have any questions or would like to discuss the subject of WISCI or any evidence-based techniques, or any training need, please reach out. Additional issues pertaining to interviewing, auditing, and investigations can be found in other blogs and videos that I have produced and are contained in most blocks of instruction that our company presents.
If you have additional questions, comments, or have an interview topic you would like me to address, give me a shout. In the meantime, be well, stay safe out there, and get to work on formulating your approach to multiple witness investigations using WISCI. This work will improve your interviewing and add to your evidence-based strategies.
