Difference Between Interview and Interrogation

Interview vs Interrogation

Interview and interrogation have many similarities as both seek answers to questions. However, there are also many differences that will be highlighted in this article.

Interview

Interview is a process that most of us go through several times in our lives, especially if we are not into business and have chosen to do jobs in companies. We understand that it is a process through which experts select the right candidates for the job. It is a polite conversation between a panel of experts and a candidate seeking the job. It is a non threatening procedure where experts try to ascertain the abilities and capabilities of the candidate to select or reject him. Interview is a one way communication mostly as experts seek answers to their queries and the candidate has to answer the questions in a confident, honest manner. After all, it is the job of the interviewers to unearth the truth about the candidate so as to be able to select the right candidate for a particular job.

However, interviews are not always to select a candidate for a job as we read interviews of celebrities, sports personalities, and political figures in newspapers and magazines. We also see interviewers on television where people answer questions volleyed at them by the interviewer frankly in a one to one encounter.

Psychologists interview their clients to unearth information about their basic nature. This is done in a friendly manner through a structured interview in a non threatening atmosphere.

Interrogation

Interrogation is mostly applied to situations where suspects are questioned by police officers to unearth information to come to a conclusion. Interrogation takes the shape of cross questioning and the role of the person asking questions is different from the role of an interviewer. Often interrogation take place in a lopsided condition where the interrogator looks like an aggressor and the suspect finds him in a desperate situation. In the hands of a police officer, interrogation is a tool that he uses to unearth true information from suspects. Officers have to learn how to make best use of this tool called interrogation to be able to secure true and accurate information from culprits, suspects, victims, and witnesses.

What is the difference between Interview and Interrogation?

• Both interview and interrogation are tools to obtain true and accurate information, but whereas interview takes place in a cordial and non threatening atmosphere, interrogation takes place in a situation where the interrogator looks like an aggressor and the suspect a victim

• Interrogation is a tool which is more of an emotional and psychological warfare between the interrogator and the suspect

• What comes out of interrogation is confession while what comes out of an interview is true information

• There is often discussion in an interview but, in interrogation, there is always an attempt to get the information