Course Catalogue

Justice Studies

The overall aim and distinctive quality of the module is to critically explore the practice of investigative interviewing. Further, this module will examine current practices, techniques and applications of police interviewing. During this module students will be exposed to comparative international techniques in interviewing, interpretation of verbal and physical behaviour, causes of denial, deception and defensiveness and the cause of false confessions. Aims: 1. To critically evaluate how mental health and other vulnerabilities impact on the acquisition of evidence from victims, witnesses and offenders during the interview process. 2. To analyse and evaluate human behaviours and their relationship to interviewer intuitive judgements. 3. To critically engage with, explain, analyse and evaluate the central issues surrounding the interaction between offenders and victims, with an emphasis on the motivations for false confessions.

Outline Syllabus:
Interview suggestibility; Classifying perpetrators attitudes, characteristics, risk factors, patterns, and behaviour; False confessions and their motivations; Interpretation of verbal and physical behaviour; Indicators and motives of deception; Psychological theoretical models of confession; Critical analysis of investigator intuitive judgements; Ethical considerations of interviewing; Interviewing witnesses Mental Health Issues Interviewing victims (child and adult) Issues with witness/victim memory cognition; Case Study Critiques: What we have learned: Counter Interrogation Strategies; The use and effectiveness of Appropriate Adults

Module Overview:
This module delves into investigative interviewing practices, exploring various aspects such as international techniques, behaviour interpretation, denial, deception, and false confessions. It emphasizes the impact of mental health and vulnerabilities on evidence acquisition and delves into offender-victim interactions.

Additional Information:
There are no professional body requirements at this stage, however developments associated with the College of Policing and other relevant government departments will be monitored and where appropriate, incorporated into module content.