NCJ Number
149288
Date Published
1993
Length
69 pages
Annotation
This study, based on interviews with 208 British police officers of all ranks and documentary material, examined current management and supervisory practices in relation to investigative interviewing in five police forces.
Abstract
The first phase of the study identified various problems encountered by junior officers in the conduct of interviews and the preparation of written records of those interviews. These problems were aggravated by the lack of routine supervision and monitoring on the part of senior officers and managers. The implementation of formal quality control mechanisms was seen as a low priority in the context of operational demands. Many junior officers believed their supervisors did not have the necessary skills for effective supervision and quality control of interviews. In the second phase of the research, potential indices of interview quality were identified, based on an analysis of the interview as a process and as a product. A set of performance indicators was developed to help managers assess interview quality. In addition, a training needs analysis for managers and supervisors of interviewing officers led to a series of training recommendations. 3 tables, 8 references, and 1 appendix