In step two the investigator should begin the development of a theme which involves, in large measure

• A. presenting a 'moral excuse' for the suspect's actions
• B. building a case against the suspect's accomplice
• C. arranging a polygraph test
• D. collecting additional corroborating evidence

Answer: (A)

Developing a theme means offering a plausible, morally palatable explanation for why the suspect acted as they did. In step two the investigator presents a narrative that makes the actions understandable—often by suggesting provocation, stress, or external pressures—so the suspect can see their behavior as something that could be regarded as understandable rather than wholly blameworthy. This moral excuse reduces defensiveness and sets up a path toward confession by aligning the suspect’s self-image with the idea that the act was not completely irrational or inexcusable. The other options aren’t about shaping the suspect’s interpretation of their own actions: focusing on an accomplice, arranging a polygraph, or gathering more corroborating evidence pertain to external strategy, truth verification, or evidence collection, not the thematic framing of the crime for the suspect.