WDC402

Title: “Be on the Lookout!”: Content of Perpetrator Description by an Eyewitness Affects Selection Time of Potential Suspects Abstract: When a crime has just happened, police enforcement need to react quickly before the perpetrator vanishes. They try to obtain a description of the perpetrator from eyewitnesses to share with other officers to react quickly. There […]

Title: Smile for the webcam: Interviewer non-verbal behaviours’ effect on perceptions of  rapport and information disclosure in virtual interviews Abstract: Although the definition for rapport-building varies according to the context in which it is  established, most agree that non-verbal behaviours facilitate it (e.g., smiling, body posture,  nodding). These behaviours are believed to allow the interviewers […]

Title: Using the Demonstrating for More Detail (DeMo) technique with adolescent eyewitnesses Abstract: Adolescent eyewitnesses can be less detailed than adults. Whilst there is much research on how specialised interview techniques can facilitate children’s eyewitness recall, there is little to none with adolescents. The current study examined the use of the Demonstrating for More Detail (DeMo) technique: an […]

Title: Improving decision-making in the criminal justice system: The effect of teaching aids on the evaluation of eyewitness evidence Abstract: Judges, jurors and other triers of fact often rely upon eyewitness evidence in criminal trials, but eyewitness memory is not always accurate and can sometimes be contaminated. The I-I-Eye is an evidence-based teaching aid designed […]

Title: Roundtable: Putting the Guidance into Practice: tailoring the interview for victims with hidden and/multiple vulnerabilities Abstract: This roundtable will follow the keynote presentation of Dr Kev Smith in which he introduces the 2022 Achieving Best Evidence Guidance to discuss the ‘bigger picture’ as to challenges of implementation. How do interviewers identify vulnerability when it […]

Title: Effectiveness of the first online training in Investigative Interviews with child victims in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic Abstract: In order to support the training of investigative interviewers in the context of the implementation of the Law of Videorecorded Interviews in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fundación Amparo y Justicia, along with experts in […]

Title: Rapport-building: Chat vs. in-person witness interviews Abstract: The psycholegal literature stresses the importance of rapport in investigative interviews. The recommended rapport tactics consist of verbal (e.g., establishing common ground) and non-verbal behaviors (e.g., displaying empathy). Most of the research, however, has examined rapport in in-person contexts, where both verbal and non-verbal behaviors are present. […]

Title: Information elicitation in an online chat Abstract: Advancements in the digitalisation of intelligence investigations require effective elicitation of information in online contexts. This research aimed to develop a rapport-based information gathering approach to interview human intelligence (HUMINT) sources online. Two versions of a rapport-based interviewing protocol were developed and tested for respective use in […]

Title: The implications for sexual assault investigations of anonymous online reporting Abstract: It is well established in the literature that rape and sexual assault are the most underreported crimes world-wide, with an estimated 80-90% of sexual assaults going unreported annually. In response to shortcomings within the criminal justice system, we have seen innovations in the […]

Title: Examining the Challenges and Barriers of Cold Case Investigations  Abstract: Criminal cold case is typically defined as one that is currently unresolved, in which no fresh leads exist, and a substantial amount of time has passed (often 1- 3 years). Cold cases introduce substantial barriers and challenges for investigators. For example, witness memory is […]

Title: Swedish police interrogations with suspects of drug-related crimes Abstract Background: What we know about police interrogation has overwhelmingly been based on serious crimes. Far less is known about police-suspect interactions when the crimes are less serious. In the current study, we have focused on low-stake crimes related to drug use and possession. A large […]