HOW TO GET THE TRUTH OUT OF A PERSON

Do you ever need to get a straight, honest answer from someone? You may not have access to sodium pentothal or amyl nitrate, and even if you did, it is illegal to use drugs to pry the truth out of someone. These are practical steps to get someone to tell the truth.
Steps

    1
    Give the Person an out. Unless you have direct evidence of their lie, try to present the situation in a way that they can admit to the truth and not look guilty, while actually invoking feelings of guilt or sympathy so they can be motivated to undo their behavior. You must judge when to use force and when to use cunning but in most cases, feelings of guilt can be subtly suggested but just as powerful. Be discrete and cunning if you have to because once you can come to the truth, it will always be your discretion to trust them or not. This works best in the case of stealing. For example suppose a friend stole from you. Do not try to accuse them rather, give them an out saying hey I think I may have left XYZ in your car/room etc. I'm so worried since then (*optional* ->It was an imp gift from xyz and irreplaceable) I hope it is there. When they *innocently* return it, be overzealous and thankful. Then know that this confirms your suspicions and behave accordingly from then on.
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    2
    Try to trick the person you want the truth from. For example, you may convince them you already know the truth, and just want them to conspire with you about what you seem to know.
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    3
    Make the person you are trying to get the truth out of think that the truth is no big deal, or you do not care what the truth is, and they may blurt it out from frustration, to try to impress you, or to brag about it. Suppose you want to know what someone's grade is, but think they may not be truthful, you may tell them you made a low grade, and don't care, you are glad that you did, then they may brag about what they actually made, instead of inflating their grade.
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    4
    Look for evidence that pertains to what the truth you are looking for is. If you want to know the truth about where someone got a new bike, and you suspect they stole it, you may find proof which you can present to the person to convince them to confess.
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    5
    Encourage the person to look you in the eye when they discuss the subject you are trying to get the truth about. Many people find it difficult to lie when looking someone in the eye. Keep in mind, however, that "good" liars know this and will try to maintain eye contact at all times to over-compensate for the previous statement. It's natural to break eye contact while thinking, but not natural to look you straight in the eye at all times.
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    6
    Talk to the person's friends, and see if they are willing to help you. Often someone will share the truth to close friends, but you have to consider whether a close friend would "sell out" their friend, or lie to you also.
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    7
    Use the person's weakness against them. An adult might use an underhanded method against another adult, by provided alcoholic beverages to the "secret keeper", in an effort to get them inebriated and learn the truth.
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    8
    Accuse the person of doing something worse so that their only evidence that this accusation is false is the truth you're trying to get them to admit. That way, they will surrender the truth thinking it will save them from this fake accusation.
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    9
    Pretend you hear them talking in their sleep, if it is a member of your close family who might think you have an opportunity to listen to what they may say while they are sleeping.
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    10
    Threaten them with exposure if the truth is not voluntarily offered. If someone is guilty of some serious transgression, they may be more willing to share the truth if it will lessen the punishment, or make it easier to accept the consequences.
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    11
    Decide at the beginning of your effort to get at the truth what you are willing to do, and whether it is justified and ethical to do it. If you are being nosy, you may not have any "right" to the truth, but if someone is hiding something which could either cause serious trouble for someone, or get someone out of trouble, it may justify using serious measures to get the truth.
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    12
    Stay calm. If you find out that people are lying to you, or not telling you the whole truth on a regular basis, perhaps you should look at yourself. How do you react and respond to situations when they are presented to you? If you react in an upset or angry manner on a regular basis, people will feel uncomfortable and will soon start to hold back or omit certain details. They will try to paint the picture in a way that is more comfortable and easy for you to accept. Consider keeping lines of communication open by reacting to information in a calm manner, even when the truth isn't pretty. Let people know they can be open and honest with you. Together you can take the situation and deal with it, either to solve, correct, or address the issue to make it better.