The greatest risk at trial involves an investigator who believes the suspect must be guilty and consequently justifies ______ used to get a confession.

• A. Coercive interrogation
• B. Improper interrogation techniques
• C. Unethical questioning
• D. Legal interrogation

Answer: (B)

When someone starts with the assumption that the suspect is guilty, they may rationalize using methods that don’t meet proper rules. The best fit is improper interrogation techniques because it captures the broad range of methods—coercive, deceptive, or otherwise inappropriate—that could be used to force a confession. This broader category highlights the central risk: such techniques threaten the reliability and admissibility of any confession, making them a major hurdle at trial. Coercive interrogation is a specific example of these improper methods, while unethical questioning is similar but less precise, and legal interrogation denotes the opposite—legitimate methods that should be used.