Stress Is Not Deception: Why Behavior Is Not Proof

This article examines the risks created when interview and interrogation training relies on behavioral assumptions, outdated lie-detection concepts, or techniques that do not survive scientific or legal scrutiny. It argues that investigative interviewing must move beyond confidence-based methods and toward evidence-based practices that protect statement reliability, reduce contamination, and withstand later courtroom review. The article emphasizes that what occurs in the interview room may later be examined in the courtroom, making training quality, scientific support, and operational discipline essential to ethical and defensible investigations.