University of Portsmouth researchers reveal how police can secure more murder and rape convictions through interviews

A seven-year programme of research conducted at the University of Portsmouth, which gathered data from sixteen UK police forces and two counterterrorist teams, showed that the police role of interview managers had been neglected for too long.

Interview managers are tasked with developing effective interview strategies that ensure all parties involved in the process are dealt with ethically and legally.

Martin Vaughan - the lead author of the report from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth - spent fifteen years as an interview manager. He said: ‘Until now, there has been a deficiency in the research of this critical role, which has been in existence for twenty years. Officers are being asked to do very responsible and complex jobs with very little experience or training. The stakes are often very high and if Interview Managers get it wrong an entire investigation can fail.’

The programme of research found that 70 percent of the competencies that underpin the national occupational standards (NOS) concerning the make-up of an interview strategy were deemed not fit for purpose.

A sample of interview management strategies of high-stake investigations of rape and murder from three forces were reviewed by the researchers, who revealed significant failings in the system.

Becky Milne, Professor of Forensic Psychology, University of Portsmouth, said: ‘For too long this role has been neglected and Interview Managers have been trying to do their best with little training or guidance.’