Interviewing suspects with the Strategic Use of Evidence (SUE) technique

Imagine a murder case in which the CCTV footage shows the suspect rushing out of the building where the crime occurred shortly after the crime. This CCTV footage is strong evidence against the suspect; however, it is not sufficient to understand what happened, and the suspect denies the allegation. He claims to be in the building to visit a friend, and when the friend doesn’t answer the door, he rushes out to catch the bus. How then should the police interview the suspect to find out the truth? This chapter provides an overview of an interviewing technique called the Strategic Use of Evidence (SUE) that can assist in these situations. That is, cases where the interviewer needs to gather more information from the suspect. This chapter will first summarise the SUE technique and demonstrate how it can be used to detect deception. It will then lay out the principles behind the technique that constitute the SUE framework. These principles are key to understanding the various strategic ways evidence can be utilised in an interview. Finally, the chapter will present a new line of SUE research that aims to enhance information elicitation.