posted on 2018-01-25, 09:41authored byElizabeth Stokoe, Charles Antaki, Emma Richardson, Sara Willott
This chapter presents an analysis of investigative interviews with victims of reported sexual abuse. The data analysed are 19 videotapes of interviews from archived cases involving complainants with intellectual disabilities. In particular, the chapter compares what is recommended in UK national guidelines to ‘achieve best evidence’ in such victim interviews and, on the basis of conversation analysis, how police officers adhere to and depart from recommended practice in ways which are both effective and less effective. The analysis reveals a restricted sense of rapport, and occasional use of questions implying blame. We consider the implications of our analysis for published guidelines for interviewing victims and witnesses as well as for the training of officers and those who work with vulnerable adults and children to achieve a fair and supportive criminal justice system.
History
School
Social Sciences
Department
Communication, Media, Social and Policy Studies
Published in
The Discourse of Police Interviews
Pages
21 - 41
Citation
STOKOE, E. ...et al., 2020. When police interview victims of sexual assault: Comparing written guidance to interactional practice. IN: Mason, M. and Rock, F. (eds). The Discourse of Police Interviews, Chicago: University of Chicago, pp.21-41.
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Version
AM (Accepted Manuscript)
Publisher statement
This book chapter was published in the book The Discourse of Police Interviews. The definitive published version is available at https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/D/bo41210416.html.