The use of a Crime Questionnaire typically involves three steps. First, the suspect writes answers to standard questions about the crime. The answers are scored with a system based on research and language analysis techniques. The investigator then orally interviews the suspect about written answers that are ambiguous or contradictory. By comparing a suspect's responses to a database of answers given in confirmed criminal cases, the trained analyst determines whether the suspect is telling the truth. In a recent study, a Crime Questionnaire correctly predicted polygraph results 84.8 percent of the time. Research has found that multiple-choice questions with spaces for the suspect to explain in writing his/her answers and short essay questions are the most effective format for a Crime Questionnaire. Examples are provided of a multiple-choice question and a suspect's response as well as a short essay question. One benefit of the Crime Questionnaire is that it is less threatening to both innocent and guilty suspects than an oral interview or a polygraph. Both guilty and innocent suspects are likely to agree to complete the Crime Questionnaire (the guilty person because he/she wants to appear cooperative and the innocent person because they want to prove their innocence). Further, the questionnaire can either stand alone as a tool for assessing guilt or innocence or be used in combination with a subsequent oral interview or polygraph examination to improve their effectiveness. The average completion time for a questionnaire is 30 minutes, and suspects who read at the fifth-grade level can complete most investigative questionnaires in writing. Questionnaires can be administered orally to illiterate suspects, with answers recorded verbatim.