Interview Questionnaires
It is vital to interview potential clients and witnesses. They are the ones with the inside information and they will usually initiate contact with the investigators. It is the paranormal investigator's duty to properly assess the request.
Is the client believable and not a hoaxster?
Is the client mentally stable and not under treatment for a psychiatric disorder or substance abuse problems?
Is the situation the client describes a dangerous one that needs immediate attention?
The answers to these questions are almost impossible to determine with just a phone call. Someone from the group must interview the client and ask the proper questions in person. With a questionnaire in hand, he can ask the client to fill out the answers.
Clients have been known to change their minds in the middle of an investigation and withdraw their permission to investigate. This is frustrating, but stay calm and try to remedy whatever concern the client has to save the situation and your investment of time and effort.
Although people may balk at answering personal questions, filling out a form can be a little less threatening. The interviewer can look the form over and ask follow-up questions. The form is an icebreaker, and it provides a permanent record of the initial meeting. Facts pertinent to the case can be readily available to the team as they conduct the investigation. This form should include the date and case number, the location, the name of the person being interviewed, and a description of the phenomena the client has observed.
