The Crisis Interview
Launch library · evergreen read
Conducted in the immediate aftermath of an unfolding or recent difficult event, the crisis interview demands particular sensitivity: a subject may be in genuine distress, and the usual pacing and thoroughness of a standard interview often has to give way to something shorter and gentler. Every choice made in this setting carries more weight than it typically would under calmer circumstances.
Judgement matters more in this format than in almost any other: knowing when a subject is capable of answering and when the kindest and most professional choice is to pause the interview entirely, returning to it, if appropriate, once the immediate crisis has eased. Returning too soon to a paused conversation risks doing more harm than any material gained could ever justify.
The material gathered in this format carries real weight precisely because of its proximity to events, but that same proximity means it should be handled with unusual care, since a subject's account given under acute stress may shift once time has passed. Handled with genuine care, this format can still produce an honest, valuable account despite its difficult circumstances.