Ghosthunting Techniques: Interviewing Witnesses

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The Ghosts of Stirling Castle A Haunting in Philadelphia Ghost Hunting in the 21st Century Poltergeists: Spirit & Phenomena Residual Hauntings Accountability to Ghost Hunter Team Members Assessing the Threat Level in a Paranormal Investigation Applying the Scientific Method to Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Tools: Audio Voice Recorders Becoming a Ghost Hunter New Discoveries in Ghosthunting Capturing Images While Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Case Files and the Case Manager Ghosts: Chillingham Castle Ghosthunting Client Release and Permission Forms Cleansing Rituals and Closure in Ghosthunting Collecting Eyewitness Accounts of Paranormal Activity Psychic Data and Ghosthunting Dangerous Entities in Ghosthunting Cultivating Your Psychic Talents for Ghosthunting Debunking Paranormal Activity Ghosthunting Tools: Divination and Necromancy Ghosthunting Equipment Failure EVPs and the Ghost Box Financial Considerations for Ghost Hunters Electronic Voice Phenomena Follow-Up Paranormal Investigations Following Scientific Protocols in Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Tools: Flashlights, Lanterns, Compasses, and Watches When to Revisit a Paranormal Site Sensitives and Paranormal Investigations Gathering Background Data for a Paranormal Investigation Ghosthunting in the Twenty-First-Century Ghosthunting Resources for Sensitives Ghosts in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome Haunted Battlefields Haunted Cemeteries and Graveyards Haunted Schools and Churches Haunted Private Residences Haunted Theaters and Museums Ghosthunting Tools: Infrared Cameras and Motion Sensors Instinct Versus Intellect in Ghosthunting Intelligent and Human Hauntings Ghosthunting Interview Questionnaires Ghosthunting Techniques: Interviewing Witnesses Paranormal Investigation Checklist Involving Priests and Clergy in Paranormal Investigations Laying the Groundwork for Paranormal Investigations Ghosthunting Lectures, Presentations, and Classes Local Sources of Ghosthunting Information Jinxes and Hexes Medical Issues and Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Tools: Miscellaneous Equipment Ghosthunting Records and Anaylsis Networking in the Ghosthunting Community Ghosthunting: Covering Your Assets Ghost Hunters Help Those in Trouble New Avenues of Ghosthunting Research New Ghosthunting Technology and Tools New Ways of Analyzing Paranormal Evidence Ghosthunting Observations Analyzing Information about the Paranormal Organizing Your Ghosthunting Team Parapsychologists and Demonologists Patience and Reliability Pay Off in Ghosthunting Perform a Cleansing Ritual After a Paranormal Investigation Ghosthunting Permission Forms Physical Paranormal Attacks Poltergeists and Elemental Spirits Protecting the Client's Privacy in a Paranormal Investigation Protecting Yourself from Physical Paranormal Attacks Protecting Yourself from Psychic Attacks Psychics and Mediums Ghosthunting Gear Recording Paranormal Data and Observations Ghosthunting Release Forms Remaining Objective and Professional as a Ghost Hunter Reviewing Photos and Videos for Paranormal Evidence Showing Paranormal Data to a Client Paranormal Site Investigation Forms Sensitivity to the Supernatural Specialized Paranormal Education Classes An Education in Demonology Technological Resources for Paranormal Investigations The Ghosts of Stirling Castle The Ghost Team The Knowledge of Psychics The Princes in the Tower Thermometers and Chilly Spirits in Paraonormal Investigations Get Permission to Investigate Paranormal Sites Video and Still Photography in Paranormal Investigations Respect the Paranormal Your Paranormal Self-Education One Ghost Hunter's Introduction to the Paranormal Explaining Residual Hauntings Psychic Attacks Understand the Layout of a Paranormal Site Ghosthunting as an Amateur or a Professional An Ancient Belief in the Afterlife Victorian Ghosthunters Psychics and Seers Ghosthunting Techniques: Dowsing Ghosts, Apparitions, and Demons Land Data Research Resources Ectoplasmic Mists and Fogs The Commitment of Psychics to Ghosthunting Ghosthunting Equipment Ghosthunting Team Members: Photographers and Videographers Ghosthunting Tools: EMF and ELF Meters The Ghost Hunter's Responsibility to Clients Ghost Hunting: Mapping Power Sources and Natural Anomalies Educating and Comforting Ghosthunting Clients Haunted Historic Sites Do a Paranormal Site Check with the Client Ghosthunting Equipment Check and Deployment Honing Your Psychic Abilities for Paranormal Investigations Ghosthunting Client Problems Wards and Shields for Paranormal Investigations Analyzing Paranormal Evidence Gaining Access to Haunted Sites Storing Paranormal Evidence on CD or DVD Building an Online Presence for Ghost Hunters Your Ghost Hunting Website Ghost Photo Gallery Compiling and Comparing Psychic Data

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Ghosthunting Techniques: Interviewing Witnesses by Melissa Martin Ellis Share Email Print Tags No tags are currently set for this article. To add a new tag Log in or register Prioritize cases with children involved Be sensitive when interviewing children You may want to re-interview adults separately Click here for The Everything Ghosthunting Book People who contact ghost hunters and paranormal investigators are sometimes quite desperate. They have reached the end of their rope emotionally; in some cases, they really fear they are losing their minds. They may have had no experience with the supernatural before, so they have no context for what is happening. They are often referred by clergy and will be desperate to tell their stories to the investigators in hope of finding some relief from the chaos and fear that accompanies paranormal situations. When interviewing, different protocols are required for different cases, depending on the urgency of the situation. Many groups will drop everything to come to the assistance of families with children, or if there seems to be a risk of imminent harm to the occupants of an allegedly haunted home. The Process Begins When a call comes in, the case manager will take down the information about what is happening. Other pertinent data, such as the address where the activity is occurring and the degree of urgency, is weighed before the case manager books a time for the investigators to interview the witnesses. If there is sufficient time, a researcher might visit reference libraries and historical societies to look into the history of the house or site. Every little tidbit of information may be of importance in figuring out exactly what is happening at the allegedly haunted location. Some groups have all of their prospective clients fill out questionnaires or conduct telephone interviews, asking for as much background information as they can get, such as the age of the site, what sort of sounds have been heard, and what abnormalities have been seen. Perhaps the most important question of all concerns how the client feels about what she is experiencing. Does she feel threatened? Based on the client’s answers to these questions, the case manager will decide whether the respondent is sincere and credible. If she seems to be, then an investigation is planned.
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by Melissa Martin Ellis

Prioritize cases with children involved
Be sensitive when interviewing children
You may want to re-interview adults separately
Click here for The Everything Ghosthunting Book

People who contact ghost hunters and paranormal investigators are sometimes quite desperate. They have reached the end of their rope emotionally; in some cases, they really fear they are losing their minds. They may have had no experience with the supernatural before, so they have no context for what is happening. They are often referred by clergy and will be desperate to tell their stories to the investigators in hope of finding some relief from the chaos and fear that accompanies paranormal situations.

When interviewing, different protocols are required for different cases, depending on the urgency of the situation. Many groups will drop everything to come to the assistance of families with children, or if there seems to be a risk of imminent harm to the occupants of an allegedly haunted home.

The Process Begins

When a call comes in, the case manager will take down the information about what is happening. Other pertinent data, such as the address where the activity is occurring and the degree of urgency, is weighed before the case manager books a time for the investigators to interview the witnesses.

If there is sufficient time, a researcher might visit reference libraries and historical societies to look into the history of the house or site. Every little tidbit of information may be of importance in figuring out exactly what is happening at the allegedly haunted location.

Some groups have all of their prospective clients fill out questionnaires or conduct telephone interviews, asking for as much background information as they can get, such as the age of the site, what sort of sounds have been heard, and what abnormalities have been seen. Perhaps the most important question of all concerns how the client feels about what she is experiencing. Does she feel threatened? Based on the client’s answers to these questions, the case manager will decide whether the respondent is sincere and credible. If she seems to be, then an investigation is planned.