Interviewing Witnesses

The most important aspects of an investigation are witness interviews. In most paranormal cases, the testimony of the eyewitness will decide which direction you may take the ghost hunt. If the interview is handled correctly, the information gathered can be very helpful in the rest of the investigation. You must prepare for each interview before conducting it. The same rules apply whether interviewing a total stranger or a member of your own family.

Before the interview begins there are some initial rules of ethics that must be followed:

• Never allow yourself to make a value judgment of the eyewitness based solely on race, education, economic standing, age, sex or any other external appearance.
  
• Go into every interview believing that the witness is telling the truth.
  
• Be open-minded and considerate of the feelings of the witness.
  
• Make conclusions only on the validity of the story after evaluating the evidence gathered from the completed investigation.
  
• Be prepared to keep the interview on track and explore every possibility, natural and supernatural.
  
• Always conduct yourself in a professional manner.

First, get the number of witnesses. If there is more than one witness always do separate interviews. Each person sees things from their own perspective and this is exactly what you want, the uncontaminated observation of each witness. In a group interview, there is always the risk that one person's testimony will influence the next. Witnesses may feel pressured into saying that they experienced something that they did not simply because the person before them said they did.

...Continued in the Book...