? concerning the topic of interview and interrogation

[Al302LX]

Hello everybody. This is my first post at this forum. I am currently a junior in college with the hopes of being involved in criminal justice or law enforcment one day. I am taking a class right now called "Interview & Interrogation". We are required to write a paper on interviewing and interrogating a 'special needs person' (i.e. person under the influence of drugs/alcohol). Are there any internet sites or resources that anybody knows of to help me with this topic. Things such as how the interviwer could ID that a person is under the influence and specific problems communicating with them and the methods to handle these problems. Anybody with experience or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Mental Ammo]

Hey Al302LX, Welcome aboard!

Here are a couple of sites to get ya started:


John E. Reid and Associates, Inc. http://www.reid.com/index.html

Here's a list of several State DRE Web Sites that should be helpful:

*TEXAS http://teexcit.tamu.edu/dre/

*OREGON http://www.osp.state.or.us/html/dre.html

*CHP http://www.chp.ca.gov/dre

*MASSACHUSETTS http://www.marblehead.com/police/dre

*ARKANSAS http://www.cji.net/DRE.htm

*COLORADO: http://www.dot.state.co.us/programs/...lcohol/dre.htm

*IOWA http://www.state.ia.us/government/dps/gtsb/dre.htm *


Good Luck!

[DesertRat]

At least out his way, you are confussing two terms we use. A "special needs person" would be somebody who has a physical or mental handicap. A person who is under the influence is an entirely different ball game. For the mentally ill. We carry on the interrogation as best we can given whatever obstacle it is we have to work around ie: lower mental age than physical, dificulty communicating by words, etc. and try to use other evidence or witness to corroborate their statements. People "under the influence" we normally don't interrogate until they are sober.

[ 11-03-2001: Message edited by: DesertRat ]

[jcpaddon]

re. interrogation and special needs,
what are the legal aspects surrounding that?
Can anything that someone says while intoxicated be used the same as if they were completely sober?

[DesertRat]

Depends on the judge making the ruling but, oftne no. That is why we wait until they are sober if it is iportant.