Forensic interview training – business meets criminal investigation

A forensic interview is a structured, goal-oriented questioning conducted as part of an internal investigation—with the aim of obtaining reliable, admissible statements that enable a well-founded assessment of the facts. It differs fundamentally from a standard employee review: While a feedback session relies on openness and mutual trust, a forensic interview must simultaneously build trust, systematically gather information, identify contradictions, and assess the credibility of the statement—all within a legal framework that must be strictly adhered to in a corporate context. This training teaches precisely these skills: it is practice-oriented, realistic, and provides immediate feedback from experienced criminal investigators who use these techniques on a daily basis.

Preparing for an interview is at least as crucial as conducting it—and, at the same time, the area where most mistakes occur. Anyone who goes into a forensic interview unprepared risks overlooking crucial information, alarming the interviewee, or obtaining statements that are legally inadmissible. This training teaches how to prepare for an interview in a structured manner: from analyzing the facts and defining the interview objectives, to selecting appropriate questioning techniques, and finally to preparing for note-taking and documentation. Those who master these fundamentals enter the interview with a clear plan—and thereby significantly increase the likelihood of achieving an admissible result.

Internal interviews do not take place in a legal vacuum: They involve obligations under labor law, data protection requirements, and the rights of the individuals being interviewed—and anyone who crosses these boundaries risks not only the admissibility of the results but also significant labor law consequences for the company itself. This training course covers the essential legal foundations for interviews conducted as part of internal investigations and highlights the labor law considerations that must be observed: When is there a duty to provide a statement? What rights does the interviewee have? When must the works council be involved? And how should results be documented so that they hold up in a legal dispute—such as in labor law proceedings?

Interviewing a victim is one of the most sensitive tasks in an internal investigation: On the one hand, all relevant information must be gathered—on the other hand, the victim must not be influenced in their testimony by leading questions, pressure, or unintentional cues. The training addresses this challenge in a dedicated practical session: Participants prepare to interview a victim, conduct the interview in pairs, and immediately afterward receive comprehensive feedback from experienced criminal investigators ( practitioners ) from the Criminal Investigation Department. The training also covers how to structure an interview so that the interviewee communicates openly despite difficult circumstances—and how to document statements in a way that ensures they can be used later.

Assessing the credibility of a statement is one of the most challenging skills in forensic interviewing—and at the same time, one that can be significantly improved through targeted training. The training provides a solid foundation in statement analysis: Which verbal characteristics—such as a wealth of detail, consistency, or unexpected complications—indicate a credible statement? What nonverbal cues can indicate uncertainty or deception? And how can reality criteria be identified and distinguished from signs of fabrication? The training explicitly emphasizes that no single cue is conclusive on its own—rather, the overall assessment of a statement requires a systematic, methodologically sound approach, which is practiced intensively during the training.