Christopher, a fraud examiner, is conducting an admission-seeking interview with Jennifer, an employee suspected of stealing cash. Which of the following is the LEAST EFFECTIVE phrasing for Christopher to use when posing an admission-seeking question to Jennifer?

In an admission-seeking interview, the goal is to obtain a confession. A direct, closed-ended question like "Did you steal the money?" is the least effective because it is confrontational and invites a simple "no" answer, which makes it harder to continue the interview productively. Effective admission-seeking questions are often presumptive and open-ended, assuming the subject's involvement and asking for details about the act (e.g., "why," "what," "how much"). This approach bypasses the direct accusation and encourages the subject to start talking, which is the first step toward a confession.

B. This is an effective presumptive question that assumes the act occurred and asks for details, making it difficult to deny the premise.
C. This is an effective question that seeks rationalization, giving the suspect a "good" reason to confess and explain their motives.
D. This is an effective presumptive question that focuses on the consequences of the act rather than the act itself, a common confession-seeking tactic.

ACFE. (2023). Fraud Examiners Manual. Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Section 3: Investigation, "Admission-Seeking Interviews," Subsection "Obtaining the Confession," pp. 3.318-3.320. (Advises against asking questions that can be answered "no" and recommends using alternative questions that presume guilt).

Inbau, F. E., Reid, J. E., Buckley, J. P., & Jayne, B. C. (2013). Criminal Interrogation and Confessions (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Chapter 10, "The Alternative Question," pp. 235-237. (Explains the theory behind using questions that present alternatives rather than a direct yes/no accusation).