The Criminal Justice Act 1991 says a video can replace a child's evidence in a criminal court. Such a recording can spare the child from having to recount evidence to the court in person and can provide a highly valuable, early record of the child's account. The main purpose of this memorandum is to help those making a video recording of an interview with a child witness where it is intended that the result should be acceptable in criminal proceedings. The memorandum gives general advice on when and where to make the video; legal conditions; what should be done before the interview; protocol for interviewing children; legal rules which should be observed in order to produce an evidentially acceptable video recording; and arrangements for proper storage, custody and disposal of tapes.

- Represents the latest advances of the role of psychological factors in inducing potentially unreliable self-incriminating behavior - Chapters are authored by a diverse group psychologists, criminologists, and legal scholars who have contributed significantly to the collective understanding of the pressures that insidiously operate when the goal of law enforcement is to elicit self-incriminating behavior from suspected criminals - Reviews and analyzes the extant literature in this area as well as discussing how this knowledge can be used to help bring about needed changes in the legal system

Techniques in the investigative interviewing and interrogation of victims, witnesses and suspects of crime vary around the world, according to a country’s individual legal system, religion and culture. Whereas some countries have developed certain interview protocols for witnesses (such as the ABE Guidelines and the NICHD protocol when interviewing children) and the PEACE model of interviewing suspects, other countries continue to use physical coercion and other questionable tactics to elicit information. Until now, there has been very little empirical information about the overall interview and interrogation practices in non-western countries, especially the Middle and Far East. This book addresses this gap, bringing together international experts from over 25 countries and providing in-depth coverage of the various interview and interrogation techniques used across the globe. Volume 1 focuses on the interviewing of victims and witnesses, aiming to provide the necessary information for an understanding of how law enforcement agencies around the world gain valuable information from victims and witnesses in criminal cases. Together, the chapters that make up this volume and the accompanying volume on interviewing suspects, draw on specific national case studies and practices, examine contemporary challenges and identify best practice to enable readers to develop an international, as well as a comparative, perspective of developments worldwide in this important area of criminal investigation. This book will be an essential resource for academics and students engaged in the study of policing, criminal investigation, forensic psychology and criminal law. It will also be of great interest to practitioners, legal professionals and policymakers around the world.

Forensic Psychology is essential reading for all undergraduate courses in forensic psychology and an excellent introduction for more detailed postgraduate courses. Expert authors cover every aspect of forensic psychology, from understanding criminal behaviour, to applying psychological theory to criminal investigation, to analysis of the legal process and the roles of witnesses, to the treatment of offenders.

Child witnesses pose unique challenges to the legal system, and courtrooms are daunting and alien to children. Timely and truly international in scope, this volume focuses on the techniques and procedures used to accommodate child witnesses in legal systems in countries around the world and on the research investigating the effectiveness and implications of those techniques. Featuring the work of renowned scholars from the international psycholegal community, International Perspectives on Child Abuse and Children's Testimony not only provides support for all countries seeking to broaden their approach to child psychology and law but also promotes justice where child protection is virtually unknown. Special emphasis is given to techniques currently in use and under investigation in the United States as well as the U.S. applicability of techniques and procedures used in other countries. At a time when issues surrounding children's testimony are under close scrutiny, International Perspectives on Child Abuse and Children's Testimony provides outstanding findings and guidelines for researchers and practitioners in psychology, medicine, criminology/law, social policy, and social work as well as advanced students in these and related fields.

This edited volume reviews the latest research on investigative interviewing in order to provide insights on the psychological processes of the person being interviewed as well as to offer guidelines for conducting credible and useful interviews. Critical and controversial areas are highlighted (eg. false confessions, child interviewing) in order to bring clarity to how these interrogations are to be conducted. Chapters focus on these areas to provide comprehensive views of theoretical, evidence-based background, as well as practical considerations of interrogation settings and procedures. The contributors are internationally respected scholars in the field of psychology and law with particular expertise in the interviews that are critical to legal proceedings. And attention is given to the criminal justice system in international perspective.

Winner of the British Psychological Society Book Award 2018 - Textbook category ′This fascinating book examines some of the ideological underpinnings of forensic psychological research, policy and practice. It is refreshingly reflective and a significant contribution to the field. I strongly recommend it.′ - Professor Graham Towl, Durham University and formerly Chief Psychologist at the Ministry of Justice ′The strength of this book is the complexity of concepts and topics covered mean that it is suitable for students who wish to be challenged.’ - Dr Louise Almond, University of Liverpool ′This is a book for people who like to think. It presents the realities of practice with the challenges of theory and asks the reader to shake off complacency. It is insightful and challenging but most of all, it is very readable.′ - Professor Joanna R. Adler, Middlesex University Students of Forensic Psychology need to learn how to combine practical skills such as report writing or assessments with a critical understanding of both theory and the wider political and policy landscape that surrounds the profession. Mapped to the British Psychological Society’s Stage One and Two training requirements for forensic psychologists Forensic Psychology: Theory, Research, Policy and Practice will help you understand how these crucial areas of the profession interact and how they can shape one another. Throughout the text the authors provide a detailed analysis of key concepts, debates and theories while weaving in insights and reflections from key professionals, ensuring you have the necessary knowledge and skills to pass assignments and get past the stage 2 supervised practice requirements en route to becoming a qualified forensic psychologist. This text will be essential reading for all those on MSc Forensic Psychology courses, and will also be a useful reader for those on practitioner doctorates as well as the already qualified needing to keep up with the CPD. The book is also a useful companion to professionals in allied criminal justice professions.

The Criminal Justice Act 2003 re-wrote the hearsay evidence rule for the purpose of criminal proceedings, enacting the recommendations of the Law Commission together with some proposals from the Auld Review. In 2008, Professor Spencer wrote a book explaining the new law, intended for practitioners as well as academics. Following the style of his earlier book about the new law on bad character evidence, the core of the hearsay book was a section-by-section commentary on the relevant provisions of the Act, discussing the case law that had interpreted them. Since the appearance of the first edition, the new law on hearsay evidence has been the subject of a spectacular exchange between the UK Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights, the effects of which the Court of Appeal has interpreted in several leading cases. In this new edition, the commentary is revised to take account of these developments. As in the first edition, the commentary is preceded by chapters on the history of the hearsay rule, and the requirements of Article 6(3)(d) of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is followed by an appendix containing the text of the statutory provisions and a selection of the leading cases.

Good Practice in Safeguarding Children considers how front-line professionals can keep the best interests of the child at the heart of their work when statutory guidance, the way agencies are integrated and the delivery of services are changing. Liz Hughes and Hilary Owen have drawn together contributors' experiences of working with safeguarding children on a broad range of issues, including neglect, trafficked children, parents with learning difficulties and child protection supervision. The contributors discuss current dilemmas in safeguarding children work and provide models of good practice, including case scenarios and exercises. This book explores how changes in the system offer an opportunity to enhance the quality of service provision, to achieve better outcomes for children and their families. This book is a must-read book for all front-line practitioners involved in safeguarding children, including social workers, child and adolescent mental health practitioners, police officers, healthcare professionals, probation workers and teachers. It is also suitable for undergraduate, post-graduate and post-qualifying students.