Lack of cooperation in witness interviews

To elicit accurate and detailed witness accounts, the police rely on witness cooperation. However, witness cooperation is not always granted, and sometimes the investigators must overcome witness resistance to effectively elicit information. This chapter discusses a proposed cost-benefit analysis framework to understand relevant situational and individual factors that affect witness cooperation in the interview room. Furthermore, empirical evidence of the detrimental consequences of lack of cooperation in eliciting information is discussed, and evidence-based interviewing techniques that promote cooperation in witness interviews are reviewed.