When conducting interviews, why is it beneficial to listen to witnesses' conversations?

Listening to witnesses' conversations can yield unprompted information that may not be captured through direct questioning. This spontaneous communication can reveal insights, context, or details that witnesses may consider irrelevant or too minor to mention during a formal interview. By overhearing these conversations, officers can gather additional perspectives or evidence that could prove critical for the case. This technique also helps build a more nuanced understanding of the situation from the witnesses' viewpoints, potentially enhancing the investigation's thoroughness.

While verifying identities, ensuring cooperation, and assessing credibility are certainly important aspects of conducting interviews, they do not directly relate to the specific advantage of gaining unprompted information.