How Do Chinese Police Officers Interview Suspects Who Keep Silent During Interviews?

This study examines the strategies employed by Chinese police officers when interviewing suspects who remain silent based on survey data from 162 police officers. Four types of interview strategies were found: question, communicative, affective, and procedural. Over half of the participants rated outcomes as “neutral” and only 7.87% “highly satisfied”. Rational persuasion, showing kindness, and respect are positively associated with officers’ neutral satisfaction. These findings reveal the complexity of police interviews in the context of suspects’ silence and suggest directions for future research on the factors influencing interview effectiveness.