The procedures contained in this manual are intended as examples of suggested practices for the collection and preservation of eyewitness evidence. Departmental, logistical, or budget/staff limitations or legal conditions may make the use of particular procedures contained herein impracticable. Instructors are encouraged to modify these materials as appropriate for their jurisdiction and classroom presentation.

Role-playing is used in this lesson plan as a tool to facilitate students? learning of effective interview techniques. With classes of up to 25 students, use role-playing exercises in which all students rotate through the roles of interviewer/call-taker and witness. With classes of more than 25 students, select two volunteers to go through role-playing exercises for the class to observe.

Instruct the student playing the role of the witness to think of an actual event that he/she experienced approximately 6 months earlier. Using memory of an actual event in these exercises will more effectively demonstrate the utility of the interview procedures contained herein.

To maximize the educational benefit of the exercise, the procedural point being demonstrated should be explained prior to the role-playing exercise.