The investigator should get all the identifying information from a witness before they begin their story. True or False?

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not applicable
• D. Depends

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is to start with an open, free narrative from the witness rather than turning the session into a data-collection exercise. Having the witness tell what happened in their own words first helps capture a complete, unpolluted account, including the sequence of events, details, and observations that the memory naturally provides when not steered by questions. If you jump into collecting all identifying information before the story, you risk biasing what the witness reports or interrupting their recall, which can cause important details to be missed or altered.

You can, of course, collect identifying information, but it’s best done after you’ve allowed the witness to share their account in their own words and you’ve established rapport. That way, you verify essential details and fill in gaps without prematurely narrowing or guiding the narrative. The emphasis is on eliciting the story first; administrative data can come in a subsequent step.