About SBI
A Historical Perspective of SBI
Science-Based Interviewing is rooted in psychological principles emphasizing the importance of understanding human behavior. It finds its roots in the PEACE model out of the U.K. and is grounded in ethical practice.
Read an informational paper laying out the history of SBI practices here.
SBI and the Science of Memory
Science-based practices in interviewing work with memory processes and what we know of cognition.
As discussed in the SBI course, memory is neither a video camera nor a file cabinet. Memories are not stored in just one section of the brain and can be easily tainted by poor questioning techniques. Allowing a cooperative subject, victim, witness or other to tell his/her story as they know it is the best chance of getting a full account of what happened. There are many sorts of self-generated memory cues an interviewer can provide. The one we discuss and practice in the SBI Foundations course is the Cognitive Interview (CI). CI has been found to enhance recall in both the quality of information and the quantity of information with a subject who is cooperative and willing to talk. The basic principles involved are: 1) letting the subject tell his/her story without interruption and allowing the subject to maintain autonomy and adaptability in how the narrative is told. Other techniques such as the Network Task or Timelining are examples of other ways to use one’s memory in interview. We introduce these in the memory sessions that are a component of the SBI Extension Sessions and follow-up on these in our advanced offerings.
See below for a practical application as well as two papers that explain the science that underpins our instruction.
From the Field
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office has trained numerous detectives in SBI since 2024. Recently, they investigated a kidnapping. The victim was recovered after being held for 4 days. She was questioned but could not provide much information. The detective decided to use the Cognitive Interview technique to allow the victim to tell her story. With this, she was able to give much more information to clarify the custody and control she experienced.
SBI & Rapport-based Practice
Science-Based Interviewing is, at its core, rapport-based. It is not about being "nice" to a subject but rather treating that person as a human being and seeking to gain as much information as possible from the communication. Rapport-based practices transcend a subject interview and can be used with witnesses, sources, your significant other or your teenaged children.
We use the ORBIT model, developed by Dr. Laurence & Emily Alison from Liverpool, England. The Alison's model is central in the practice put forth by the HIG in their originial SBI Framework and has been adopted by the State of California as the ethos of the interview.
Below are two papers that outline the model and its findings as related to interviewing. One is on ORBIT in general while the second outlines the use of rapport-based strategies in a time-sensitive interview.