Purpose: The questioning of suspects is central to many police investigations, and interviewing techniques have developed over time. In particular, investigative interviewing – which is a research-based and practically proven approach to gathering reliable and relevant information – is gaining ground worldwide. As a result, it is expected to be increasingly included in guidelines, training, and police/legal practices around the globe. However, misconceptions and inaccuracies in defining and interpreting investigative interviewing’s practical, psychological, and legal foundations can result in misunderstandings and serious consequences such as false decisions and miscarriages of justice. Therefore, this paper aims to describe the underlying elements of investigative interviewing to offer guidance for policymakers, law enforcement decision makers, researchers, and trainers.

Design/methodology/approach: This paper draws on existing research, as well as practical experience from interviewing, teaching, and advising, to examine what investigative interviewing is.

Findings: At the core of investigative interviewing are three pillars: (1) actively open-minded thinking, (2) research-based tactics and techniques, and (3) a legal and humane approach.

Practical implications: Based on this, the present study discusses the boundaries of investigative interviewing and the chances of introducing it into training, implementing it in practice, and conducting further research on effective practice.

Originality/value: The authors confirm that they have not submitted the manuscript elsewhere and have written it ourselves.