What is the difference between an interview and an interrogation?

• A. Both mean the same.
• B. Interview is an official arrest process; Interrogation is casual.
• C. Interview is general questioning without intent to incriminate; Interrogation is questioning aimed at eliciting guilt.
• D. Interview requires a warrant; Interrogation does not.

Answer: (C)

Intent and setting separate interviews from interrogations. An interview is general questioning to learn what happened, gather facts, or obtain information from someone who may not be there to confess. An interrogation, on the other hand, is a purposeful, directed line of questioning aimed at eliciting a confession or admission of guilt from a person believed to be involved in a crime.

In practice, interviews are typically noncustodial and noncoercive, focusing on understanding events or obtaining witness accounts. Interrogations are more controlled and used when a person is in custody or viewed as a suspect, with the goal of obtaining incriminating statements (and rights like Miranda warnings may come into play when custody is present).

So the statement that best captures the distinction is that an interview is general questioning without intent to incriminate, whereas an interrogation is questioning aimed at eliciting guilt.