Welcome to our webinar series - iIIRG in Conversation.
A series of iIIRG webinars featuring presentations and conversations with leading academics, practitioners and students across the field of Investigative Interviewing.
The fourth in our series of iIIRG webinars takes place on Thursday, 21st November at 11pm – New York / 4pm – London / 8am – Vancouver.
iIIRG in Conversation with Dr Laura Farrugia, Assistant Professor at Northumbria University, and Keith Harbottle, PIP Level 2 Detective Specialist Child Abuse Investigator (Rtd)
Interviewing Vulnerable Suspects
Thursday, 21st November 2024
Our Panelists
Dr Laura Farrugia
Assistant Professor at Northumbria University
Keith Harbottle
PIP Level 2 Detective Specialist Child Abuse Investigator (Rtd)
ABSTRACT
Interviewing Vulnerable Suspects: The Psychology and the Reality
Police interviewing of any suspect is not an easy task; this becomes more complex when the suspect is vulnerable. Whilst there have been many improvements in England and Wales when interviewing vulnerable suspects, there remains much to overcome. Vulnerability in itself is difficult to define, leading to many vulnerable suspects not being afforded the necessary safeguards, thus impacting on their interview and justice outcomes. Vulnerable suspects do not respond well to traditional methods of policing and there is a growing consensus that best practice interviewing may not be best practice when interviewing vulnerable suspects. The webinar will focus on the psychological developments in interviewing vulnerable suspects and focus on previous and current practice in England and Wales and the risks of false confession and miscarriages of justice that may entail. Contemporary research that challenges the concept of best practice with this vulnerable cohort will be examined. A case study will be presented from a practitioner perspective involving a vulnerable suspect so that the audience can understand the psychology and the reality of interviewing a vulnerable suspect in England and Wales. Implications for practice and future directions for both research and practice will be examined within national and international contexts.
Police interviewing of any suspect is not an easy task; this becomes more complex when the suspect is vulnerable. Whilst there have been many improvements in England and Wales when interviewing vulnerable suspects, there remains much to overcome. Vulnerability in itself is difficult to define, leading to many vulnerable suspects not being afforded the necessary safeguards, thus impacting on their interview and justice outcomes. Vulnerable suspects do not respond well to traditional methods of policing and there is a growing consensus that best practice interviewing may not be best practice when interviewing vulnerable suspects. The webinar will focus on the psychological developments in interviewing vulnerable suspects and focus on previous and current practice in England and Wales and the risks of false confession and miscarriages of justice that may entail. Contemporary research that challenges the concept of best practice with this vulnerable cohort will be examined. A case study will be presented from a practitioner perspective involving a vulnerable suspect so that the audience can understand the psychology and the reality of interviewing a vulnerable suspect in England and Wales. Implications for practice and future directions for both research and practice will be examined within national and international contexts.
SPEAKER PROFILES
Dr Laura Farrugia is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria University, UK. She also works as a Registered Intermediary where she assists police forces in England and Wales when interviewing vulnerable victims and witnesses to ensure they provide their best evidence. Her research expertise relates to vulnerability, police interviewing of victims, witnesses and suspects, and confessions and she has published extensively in this area. She has provided training to international and national organisations regarding how best to interview those who are vulnerable.
Keith Harbottle has over 25 years’ experience of working in a police force in England and Wales. He has a wealth of experience in interviewing individuals involved in serious and complex abuse of vulnerable individuals. Formerly, a national accredited Detective in PIP Level 2 and Specialist Child Abuse Investigator, he has vast experience in interviewing vulnerable individuals from a victim, witness and suspect perspective involved in serious and complex cases. He regularly provides expert consultancy to organisations in England and Wales.
iIIRG in Conversation Archive
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