0168 The Role of Alertness (vs. Fatigue) in the Performance of Professional Criminal Investigators

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Investigative interviews and interrogations are a critical component of official inquiries. However, how levels of alertness (vs. fatigue) of the interviewer impact performance during investigative interviews or their outcomes is unclear. To this end, the current effort aimed to estimate the impact of objectively estimated alertness on (1) deception detection across true and false alibi statements and (2) outcomes of real-life investigative interviews conducted by officers in the field. Methods To achieve the first goal, sets of 8 video-recorded alibi statements (each from a different individual, with half being true) were presented to 26 law-enforcement professionals (average age of 42, two-thirds male). Prior to judging the alibi statements on truthfulness, they completed the 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Test and rated their sleepiness. To achieve the second goal, another study tracked daily fluctuations in alertness among investigators to predict their experiences with actual field interviews. Fifty law-enforcement investigators (mean age 42, 75% male) wore a sleep-activity tracker (Readiband) for two weeks while keeping a daily-diary of interviews conducted in the field. For each interview, the investigators indicated (a) how well they established rapport with the subject, (b) how much resistance they encountered, (c) how well they maintained their own focus and composure, and (d) the overall utility of evidence obtained. Readiband-generated estimates of daily fatigue were used to predict daily interview outcomes. Results First, when judging alibis’ credibility, officer’s alertness was a strong predictor of lie-detection performance. Specifically, officers who were better at detecting deception across alibi statements were more objectively alert, indicated by faster reaction times (r = .52) and fewer attentional lapses (r = -.67). This better detection performance was largely accounted by stronger skepticism of actual lies. Second, Investigators from the field-interviewing study consistently reported more difficulties maintaining their focus and composure during interviews on days with lower alertness, as well as indicated more subject resistance and less rapport. Conclusion The findings suggest fatigue among criminal investigators (and underlying sleep disruption) is an important factor for how actual law-enforcement field interviews unfold. The findings implicate adequate sleep as a modifiable fitness factor for criminal investigators. Support (if any) Federal Bureau of Investigation Contract #15F06718C000253