Using Diversionary Questions to Help a Victim in Crisis

This post is offered as a discussion topic only and does not represent legal advice. Officers must refer to the laws in their own State as well as their agency's policies, which can be more restrictive on officers than the law requires.

Scenario: An officer is working patrol when they get a call about a robbery involving a firearm. When the officers arrive, they contact the victim, who begins to tell them about the crime, however, the officer notices they are shaking pretty vigorously, they are staring off into space while talking to the officer, and they are sweating profusely.

Does the officer recognize the signs that the victim may be experiencing a crisis? 

Answer:  California POST lists several physiological signs and symptoms of a victim of a crime experiencing a crisis. These are red, flushed face; unnecessarily loud voice; hyperventilation or rapid breathing; shaking, twitching hands, or clenched fists; rigid body; fixed stare; hesitation to move as commanded; nausea complaints of headache or heart palpitation; crying, tears, hysteria; excessive sweating or any combination of the above. 

Recognizing these symptoms can assist an officer in helping the victim through a very tough situation. One way to help refocus the victim away from their crisis is to ask what POST describes as diversionary reality questions. These are simple, realistic, and non-threatening questions that have nothing to do with the crime. A good example for the robbery scenario above would be to ask the victim where they live, or how many people they live with. Once they begin focusing on those easy questions, they may begin to calm down and be able to answer questions about the crime itself.

Also, an officer can consider changing up their own body language. Body language has a lot to do with how one communicates with someone. Some things POST suggests are:

Maintain eye contact. This allows the victim to focus on the officer and gives the officer a strong stable presence. 

Establish a non-threatening posture. This can include sitting or standing near the victim and placing yourself at a slight angle. 

Remember it is vital to help the victim calm down and give clear statements on what happened so do everything you can to assist them.

This blog topic serves as a summary of our video lesson on this crucial topic. If you're interested in accessing the full video lesson and additional resources, click the link to register for your free 30-day trial.