Which type of questions are not allowed during investigations according to court interpretations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

The correct choice highlights that questions regarding prior arrests are not permitted during investigations as interpreted by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This legislation aims to eliminate discrimination in various areas, including employment. Questions about prior arrests can lead to discriminatory practices, particularly against individuals from specific racial or ethnic backgrounds, as arrest records do not necessarily correlate with a person's behavior or qualifications.

In many contexts, such inquiries may be seen as potentially infringing on a person’s civil rights by allowing assumptions about a candidate's capabilities or character based solely on their arrest history, rather than on their actual qualifications or work performance. The rationale is that individuals should not face discrimination based on past arrests that did not lead to convictions, reinforcing the spirit of equal opportunity.

While questions about prior convictions, age, and residence might also raise legal and ethical concerns, they do not carry the same blanket prohibitions in many jurisdictions as questions about prior arrests do. For instance, inquiries about prior convictions may be permissible if they are relevant to the job in question and conducted in a compliant manner.