Interviews, Witness Statements, and Investigative Reporting
Interviews and statements
Interview early, separately, and with open-ended questions. A cognitive interview elicits free recall before specific probing, and asking a witness to recount events in reverse order can surface additional detail. Avoid leading or suggestive questions, which contaminate memory. Record the date, time, location, and who was present. Assess reliability: distance, lighting, attention, stress, and elapsed time since the event all affect accuracy. Children and impaired witnesses may require special handling. Miranda warnings apply only to custodial interrogation by government agents.
Reporting
Reports should separate observation from inference, state the methodology and data relied upon, and acknowledge limitations. Follow the NFPA 921 systematic approach. A defensible report identifies who did what, lists evidence, and explains the classification (accidental, incendiary, undetermined). Preserve original notes; never destroy drafts.
TRAP: Leading questions ("You saw the accelerant can, right?") or resting an incendiary classification on a single witness with no physical corroboration.
RULE OF THUMB: Ask "What did you see, hear, smell, and feel?" before "What do you think caused it?" The first produces evidence; the second produces opinion.