What does "witness tampering" involve?

Witness tampering involves the act of trying to encourage or influence a witness to provide false testimony. This illegal activity undermines the integrity of the judicial process, as it interferes with the ability of the court to receive honest and truthful statements from witnesses. By attempting to manipulate a witness’s statements, the perpetrator seeks to obstruct justice, which can lead to severe legal penalties.

The other options describe legitimate aspects of the legal system but do not capture the essence of witness tampering. For example, the obligation of a witness to appear in court is a legal requirement and does not imply any wrongful intent. Protecting a witness from threats pertains to ensuring their safety during the legal process, which is necessary to maintain the integrity of witness testimony but is unrelated to tampering. Finally, the process of recording a witness’s testimony is a procedural step in legal proceedings and does not involve any manipulation of the content of what the witness states.