Why are leading questions discouraged in interviews?

• A. They push a desired answer and can contaminate memory, reducing accuracy.
• B. They always improve the speed of getting information.
• C. They have no effect on memory or accuracy.
• D. They are never used because they are too blunt.

Answer: (C)

Leading questions bias how someone recalls an event. By suggesting a detail or implying a desired outcome, they can steer the interviewee toward confirming that suggestion or recalling a detail that wasn’t present in memory to begin with. This contamination of memory makes the information less accurate and less reliable because the witness may incorporate the interviewer’s wording or expectations into their own recollection.

That’s why the preferred approach is to use open-ended questions that invite a natural narrative and allow the witness to describe what happened in their own words. Open prompts reduce the chance of shaping memory and help preserve the integrity of the recalled details.

Other statements miss the mark because leading questions do not universally speed up information, and they do affect memory and accuracy. They’re not never used; they’re typically avoided because of the bias they introduce, though there can be limited, specific contexts where they’re considered acceptable.