What Is an Information-Gathering Interview?

By Murder Book Editorial TeamPublished by Gungrounds, the studio making Murder BookPublished 3 October 2026Updated 3 October 2026

An information-gathering interview is an investigative conversation designed to collect accurate and complete accounts from a witness, victim or suspect. Rather than pressing for a confession, the interviewer builds rapport, asks open-ended questions and lets the person tell their story with minimal interruption. The approach is grounded in decades of psychological research showing that non-coercive methods produce more reliable information and fewer false confessions than confrontational techniques. Information-gathering models such as the PEACE framework were developed in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and have since been adopted or adapted by law-enforcement agencies across Europe, Australasia and parts of North America.

Key takeaways

An information-gathering interview prioritises obtaining accurate, detailed accounts rather than securing a confession.
Research shows that rapport-based approaches elicit more true information and fewer false confessions than accusatorial methods.
The interviewer uses open-ended prompts, active listening and evidence-based questioning rather than pressure or deception.
The PEACE model, developed in England and Wales in the 1990s, is the best-known information-gathering framework for police interviews.
The approach applies to witnesses and victims as well as suspects.

How does an information-gathering interview differ from a traditional interrogation?

Traditional interrogation, as practised in much of North America, typically follows an accusatorial model. The investigator begins from a presumption that the suspect is guilty and uses psychological pressure, confrontation and sometimes deception to overcome denials and obtain a confession. The Reid Technique, the most widely taught accusatorial method, structures this process into distinct phases of factual analysis, a behavioural interview and a nine-step interrogation sequence.

An information-gathering interview works differently. Vrij, Meissner, Fisher, Kassin, Morgan and Kleinman (2017) describe the approach as one in which the interviewer treats the conversation as a search for information, not a test of guilt. The interviewer remains open to different explanations, uses questions that encourage the interviewee to provide detailed narratives and avoids tactics that could contaminate the account or increase the risk of a false confession. For a detailed comparison of accusatorial and non-coercive approaches, see Accusatorial vs Information-Gathering Interrogation.

What does the research say about effectiveness?

A 2014 meta-analytic review by Meissner, Redlich, Michael, Evans, Camilletti, Bhatt and Brandon examined laboratory and field studies comparing accusatorial and information-gathering methods. The review found that information-gathering approaches produced significantly more true confessions and significantly fewer false confessions than accusatorial techniques. The authors concluded that the evidence supports a shift away from accusatorial practices toward rapport-based, information-gathering models.

Kassin and Gudjonsson (2004), in a comprehensive review of the confession literature, noted that psychologically coercive interrogation methods can lead compliant or vulnerable suspects to confess falsely. They identified several risk factors, including lengthy interrogation sessions, sleep deprivation, the presentation of false evidence and the use of minimisation techniques that imply leniency.

Walsh and Bull (2010) studied real-world police interviews with suspects in England and Wales. They found that interviews rated as more skilled, those using rapport, open questions and a structured approach, were more likely to obtain a full confession or significant admissions than less-skilled interviews. Confrontational or aggressive questioning was associated with poorer outcomes.

What are the core principles?

Most information-gathering models share a set of common principles drawn from psychological research:

Rapport building. Establishing a cooperative relationship with the interviewee. Research on rapport in investigative interviews shows that trust increases the amount and accuracy of information people provide.
Open-ended questioning. Asking questions such as "Tell me everything that happened" rather than leading or closed questions. Open prompts produce longer, more detailed and less contaminated narratives.
Active listening. Paying close attention to the account, noting inconsistencies or gaps, and returning to them later with follow-up questions rather than interrupting.
No presumption of guilt. The interviewer approaches the conversation without having decided on the outcome. This reduces confirmation bias and allows the evidence to guide the investigation.
Ethical boundaries. Avoiding threats, promises, deception about evidence and other tactics that could undermine the reliability of the information obtained.

Where is the information-gathering approach used?

The PEACE model, introduced in England and Wales in 1992, was the first national framework built on information-gathering principles. It structures interviews into five phases: Planning and preparation, Engage and explain, Account, Closure and Evaluation. Clarke and Milne's 2001 national evaluation of PEACE training found improvements in interview quality, though it noted that more complex interviews still required further development.

Since then, information-gathering models have been adopted in various forms across several countries. Norway, New Zealand and Australia have implemented frameworks influenced by PEACE. In Canada, Snook, Eastwood, Stinson, Tedeschini and House (2010) argued that Canadian police training relied too heavily on the Reid Technique and recommended a shift toward a PEACE-based national model grounded in scientific research.

The Mendez Principles, published in 2021, represent an international effort to promote information-gathering interviewing as a global standard, offering six principles grounded in science, law and ethics.

Does an information-gathering approach mean being soft on suspects?

This is a common misconception. An information-gathering interview can be thorough and challenging. The interviewer may present evidence strategically, probe inconsistencies and ask difficult questions. The difference is that pressure comes from the weight of the evidence and the quality of the questions, not from psychological coercion or deception.

Vrij and colleagues (2017) note that rapport-based interviewing is not the same as being passive or uncritical. An interviewer can maintain a firm, structured approach while still respecting the interviewee's account and avoiding tactics linked to false confessions. The goal is reliable information, and research suggests that non-coercive methods are more likely to achieve it.

How does Murder Book approach investigative interviews?

Murder Book: The Art of Interrogation is an upcoming narrative interrogation game from Gungrounds, an independent studio in Zagreb, Croatia. Development screenshots show a technique menu that includes Build Trust, described as "fostering an environment where the suspect feels comfortable and secure enough to communicate openly." That description aligns with the rapport-building principle at the heart of information-gathering interviewing.

The game also lists techniques such as Confrontation and Baiting, suggesting that players will need to weigh cooperative and more challenging approaches. Development materials show an in-game casebook with behavioural entries including Avoidance and Fabrication, reflecting the idea that the interviewer's job is to gather and evaluate information, not simply to extract a confession.

Murder Book is in development for PC (Steam) and mobile, with release currently planned for the end of Q2 2027.