The Peace Framework of Investigative Interviewing - Article Example

JSТ313 INTЕRVIЕW/ СRITIQUЕ Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Interview Plan JST313 Interview/Critique A Petrol Station Robbery Police: Good evening, my name is Officer Ken Lyon and this is Officer Peter Michaelson. What is your name sir? Shop Attendant: Good evening, my name is Jamal Davis Police: We got a 000 call about a robbery at this address. Was that here, sir? Shop Attendant: Yes, I called in. we just had got robbed five minutes ago and they ran off. Police: Are you okay? Are you hurt? Should we call an ambulance? Shop Attendant: No, I am okay, nothing that warrants an ambulance. Police: Did you inform your manager of the robbery? Shop Attendant: Yes, I did. I called him immediately after calling 000. He does not live far from here so he arrived before you came in. He is in the back reviewing the video footage from the CCTVs. Police: Okay. One of the officers will go take his statement and review the footage as well. Shop Attendant: Okay. Police: Okay Jamal, can I call you Jamal? Shop Attendant: Yes, you can. Police: Good. Jamal I want you to remember carefully everything that happened here tonight and I want you to tell me all that you can remember because it is imperative that we get accurate information about this crime so that we can deal with it expeditiously. Do you understand? Shop Attendant: Yes. Police: Do all the cameras installed work? Shop Attendant: Yes, they all do. Police: How many are they? Shop Attendant: There are three cameras. One outside and two inside the shop. Police: Great. Now could you please start from the beginning, sir? Shop Attendant: Sure, at around 11:30 pm a gang of three men came in wearing masks. I was in here alone and one of them approached me with a gun and ordered me to give him all the money in the cash register. I hesitated and that’s when he jumped onto this side pushed me to the side and emptied all the money into a bag he was carrying and then they all ran off into a waiting car outside. Police: Where were the other two? Shop Attendant: One was standing at the door looking out and the other one was going round the store, I guess checking if there were any shoppers in here. Police: Were there any other shoppers? Shop Attendant: No, I was in here alone. The last shopper had left ten minutes earlier Police: Can you tell us the exact time the robbery took place? Shop Attendant: eerm, yes it was around 11:30 pm to 11:45 Police: I understand that they wore masks and you were scared, but can you describe the people who robbed you? Shop Attendant: uum, they were three men, the one who came to the counter was tall about six inches, and he was dark and had a tattoo on his neck. Police: A tattoo. Did have a good look? Can you describe the tattoo? Shop Attendant: Yes, it was two angel wings and at the centre was the ying-yang symbol. Police: good, that’s very good. What about his hands? Shop Attendant: I did not see them, he was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt and gloves. Police: it is okay, anything else about this man you remember? Shop Attendant: Uum, when ordering me to empty the register, he spoke with an accent. I cannot tell from where though. Police: That is okay Jamal, you are being very helpful. Shop Attendant: Ofcourse, anything to catch these people. Police: what about the other two, notice anything about them? Shop Attendant: The other two were a bit shorter than the other one but they all wore masks and dark clothes. The one walking around was white and he had a tribal tattoo on his neck and a scar below his left ear. Police: Good. How did you see the scar? Shop Attendant: After confirming there was no one else in the store, he came and stood at the counter looking outside and that’s when I saw the scar on the left side. Police: Okay, I see. What about the one at the door? Shop Attendant: I am sorry but I could not see much of him from where I was standing. Police: it is okay. That was very good. And you said they all wore dark clothes? No distinctive marks? Shop Attendant: yes, they all wore dark clothes. Black jeans and sweatshirts Police: Okay. What did they take? Shop Attendant: They took all the money from yesterday and today’s sale. There was ten thousand dollars in the cash register. They also took my phone and ten bucks from my wallet. Police: Did they leave the wallet? Shop Attendant: Yes. They gave it back Police: We are going to need that for evidential purposes. Please put it in this bag (opening a zip lock evidence bag). Shop Attendant: Okay. Police: Did they take anything else? Shop Attendant: They one walking around took some Crunchy candy bars and a bottle of Vodka. Police: Did you see or hear anything else in here that could be useful to us? Shop Attendant: Yes, I remember when the first one jumped over the counter he dropped a bandana written “Terrible West Gang” Police: Aah, yes they are becoming quite notorious with armed robberies around the neighbourhood. What about outside, did they just run off or they had a car? Shop Attendant: They had a car. They parked it right at the entrance when coming in. Police: Did you have a look at it? Shop Attendant: I am not sure…I can not really..recall. Police: Take your time, just think back slowly, close your eyes and see if anything comes to you Shop Attendant: Yeah I see it now, I could see outside the window from where I was seated. I was looked outside when they came in. Police: Great. Could you describe the car? Shop Attendant: Sure. It was a Subaru Outback. White in colour and the license plate was customized. It was written “GTMNY” Police: Great. That’s helpful. Have you seen any suspicious people hanging around this area lately? Shop Attendant: No, we see a lot of people come and go but I have not seen anyone mysterious or behaving in a suspicious way. Police: Is there any other piece of information or evidence that you would like to disclose? Shop Attendant: No. I think I told you everything. Police: Alright. We shall review the CCTV footage as well. Thank you very much for your time and co-operation. Here is my card, in case you recall any detail at all no matter how minor just call me. Shop Attendant: I will. Thank you very much. Police: You are welcome. We have to stop the gang from terrorizing the people of this neighborhood and the sooner, the better. Shop Attendant: I agree. Police: And if you hear anyone with any information about the gang or who saw anything that happened here tonight,please ask them to volunteer to the police for the safety of the community. Shop Attendant: I will. Have a good night Police: Goodnight. The PEACE Framework The PEACE framework of investigative interviewing provides a comprehensive model to produce accurate and reliable information so as to help make informed decisions. The information obtained through this method is ethical, precise and transparent. It is also a test of honesty and accuracy to the interviewee. The model was introduced in the 90’s to give structure and form to the police interviews. PEACE stands for Planning and Preparation, Engage and Explain, Account, Closure and Evaluation. This paper will discuss each and every stage of the framework and the application in the above interview. Plan and Preparation Planning and preparation is the process of getting ready for the interview and it involves the location and the environment. The aim of this stage is to make an interview plan that focuses on the objectives, structure and purpose of the interview. The interviewer gathers all the information needed for decision-making and assessment. The interviewer must stay in control and ensure that information is gathered within a specific timeline. The plan contains the witnesses and suspects to be interviewed, the topics to be covered, and a timeline. Preparation involves understanding the aim of the interview, assessing the available evidence and where it was obtained, identifying what evidence is needed and how it can be attained, and getting the necessary resources to gather information. If the issue is very significant, the interviewer should be more invested in the plan and preparation stage. In some cases, the interviewer might need to make practical arrangements such as setting up an interview space or visiting the crime scene and conducting interviews there (Bull, Valentine & Williamson, 2009). The plan should also consider the characteristics of the interviewee, some witnesses or suspects may have disabilities or certain characteristics that affect how they are addressed. A good investigative interview must not overlook evidence or miss inconsistencies in the information due to poor plan and preparation. Therefore, the interviewer should have specific questions, background of the interviewee, and a rehearsal (Bull, 2014). The interview plan outlined above is a good example of a PEACE model investigative plan. Engage and Explain This stage takes place when the interviewer meets the interviewee and a rapport is established. The officer engages the interviewee in a conversation so as to form a proper and relaxed relationship. The importance of the first stage is evident here when the interviewee has special needs and the officer is well aware and prepared to respond to the circumstances (Bull, Valentine & Williamson, 2009). The interviewer gets a chance to assess the personality of the interviewee for the first time. In our interview the police officers started by introducing themselves and asking about the wellbeing of the interviewee. The introductions and show of concern establishes a good rapport with Jamal. The interviewee gives a full account of the facts and the interviewer will repeat the words back to them to clarify or for a correct interpretation. The interview starts off by letting the person know the importance of the information they are about to give. Thus, they should not leave any detail off no matter how trivial it may seem to them. The interviewer can use certain skills and impressions to coax the information from the interviewee, such as long pauses, asking them to close their eyes and remember. In the interview, the officer puts emphasis on the relevance of the Jamal’s recollection of the facts and details, and insists that it is for the greater good. The explanation gives the interviewee a reason to fully co-operate. After the engagement is done, the interviewee gives their account, and the interviewer can ask questions to clarify or interrupt the person as they speak to gather more information. At this stage the interviewer is establishing control by asking simple questions and examining the body language of the interviewee so as to get ready for the next step. Account The interviewee does most of the talking at this stage. The interviewer requires a full account of events as they happened and they use fitting questions and active listening skills to get the information being recollected. The questions are short and precise. Additionally, questions can be asked so as to clarify or get more information (McGurk, Carr & McGurk, 1993). According to the interview above, the interviewee gave a full account of how the robbery happened. The officer then asked him questions to obtain more information and clarify on certain issues such as the specific time of the robbery. This stage demands that the interviewer have great listening and questioning skills for a reliable account. Additionally, the officer must be able to tell changes in the body language and behavior of the interviewee. In the petrol station robbery interview, the officers utilize the conversation management technique whereby Jamal says what happened and the interviewer breaks down the account into different parts so as to get more information on each account. The interviewer can also utilize skills such as summarizing what has been said, repeating, empathizing, and varying the questions for more information about certain circumstances. The responses given will help the interviewer determine whether the interviewee is telling the truth. Additionally, the interviewee will be encouraged to recall facts related to the case (McGurk, Carr & McGurk, 1993). In the interview, the officer empathizes and repeats what Jamal is saying so as persuade him to remember all the relevant facts. The office does not challenge anything Jamal says because there are no inconsistencies in his account. Closure  This stage signifies that the interview is about to come to an end. The interviewer must ascertain that the interviewee is sure that the information they gave is accurate and true. There should be no grey areas and all facts must be sufficiently highlighted. The interviewee should also be given a chance to give any additional information that they think is relevant to the case. In the interview the officer asked Jamal if he had anything to add and gave him a card in case he remembers anything in the future that may be pertinent to the case. Therefore, this stage is meant to gather any other applicable information that the interviewee can recall and also to facilitate future interviews and communication (Schollum, 2005). Evaluate This stage happens after the conclusion of the interview, and the aim is to establish whether the objectives of the interview have been achieved. The interviewer reviews their notes and the evidence collected and how the information impacts on the investigation. The decision on whether further interviews and enquires are needed. The interviewer also reflects on how they conducted the interview and ways to improve their interviewing skills. The Cognitive Interviewing Principles The Cognitive Interview technique is a method used to enhance and encourage information retrieval from the memory of a witness. There are different techniques involved in the process and the police also incorporate traditional interview styles. The use of cognitive interview uses open questions to encourage the witness to recreate the original situation. The technique is based on the scientific fact the there are many retrieval paths to each memory. Thereby, the interviewee is given retrieval cues that improve memory recall and the witness is given time to remember. The technique is significant because it maximizes on the amount of information recollected. The cognitive interview is flexible so as to capitalize on the effectiveness of the techniques. The overall strategy is meant to guide the witness to the memory records that are loaded with significant information and to facilitate communication when the memory is retrieved. The CI is divided into different sections. The first step is the introduction so as to establish a relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee. The interviewee is given an opportunity to recount the experience without any interruptions or questions from the interviewer. The interviewer uses this time to build a strategy for eliciting more information. The content of the narrative helps the interviewer guide the witness through various information-rich memory representations such as sounds, images and so on. Lastly, the interviewer reviews and assesses the information obtained from the whole interview and closes the interview leaving room for further communication. Some aspects of the CI are incorporated in the interview above. Introduction During this stage, the interviewer develops a rapport with the interviewee and supports them to volunteer information. The interviewer informs the witness of their role to investigate more detailed information and the process of acquiring the extensive information. The cognitive interview aims at reducing anxiety and uncertainty by showing a preview of the structure of the interview to the witness and explaining their central role in the investigation. Additionally, the interviewee is encouraged to ask questions about the process. Rapport In order to give detailed and intimate details to a complete stranger, the interviewee must be psychologically comfortable. A police official appearance may sometimes act to alienate witnesses and create a psychological barrier. CI interviewers overcome this barrier naturally by investing their time into developing personal and meaningful relationships with the witness. The interviewer can use different topics and techniques to begin a casual conversation and express their concern for the wellbeing of the witness. The benefit of developing a rapport is to reduce anxiety. Establish a rapport is one of the aspects incorporated in the interview above. The police office used interpersonal skills to establish a relationship with Jamal so that he would be comfortable giving information. The interviewer and the interviewee have a certain amount of control over the interview. Each party must give a bit of control during the interview. The interviewer acknowledges the central role of the witness and the interviewee plays an active role. As a result, the witness will volunteer information without having to be asked. In a CI the interviewee does most of the talking. In the interview the officer lets Jamal narrate the incident but later he steers the conversation through asking specific questions so that Jamal can give detailed descriptions. As a result, both parties transferred control to the other person. Police investigation requires more details than casual conversation, and some people withhold information because they do not know what is relevant or not. Therefore, in CI witnesses are instructed to say everything they recall no matter how trivial or out of place. The witnesses are encouraged not to judge what is valuable but rather to report all the details. The interviewer must explain the complexity of retrieving memories and the concentration needed. The can be asked to close their eyes and they must also be instructed not to guess but to say that they do not know. The space should have minimal distractions so as to maximize the focus of the mental resources. Open-ended Narration After the introduction stage, the interviewer asks the interviewee to go back to the incident mentally. This is the reinstatement process whereby the interviewee should reconstruct the external, emotional, and cognitive factors that were there at the original environment. The interviewer gives the witness time to relieve the period leading up to the event. Going back to the actual event and reconstructing the context of the original event eliminates any post-event influences. After the indication that the interviewee has reconstructed the situation, the interviewer must request for a narration in the words of the witness. During the period, the interviewer develops a strategy for probing different mental records. The benefit of this stage is to give the interviewer a chance to make a plan on what memory to explore, questions to ask and in what order. The interviewer does not interrupt or ask questions. Follow-up Questions and Probing In the stage, the interviewer guides the interviewee to the image or memory that is potentially rich in information. The interviewer uses the plan developed during the open-ended narrative. The most potential scene from the narrative should be addressed first because the details are more and the memory can trigger the recollection of others. Each scene must be addressed independently, and the interviewer can utilize certain strategies to maximize on getting information before fatigue sets in. To increase productivity, the interviewer must refrain from interrupting the witness as they search through the memory. Additionally, encouraging the witness to narrate is likely to yield better results than frequently asking questions. The interviewer should use open-ended questions and listen actively when the interviewee is describing events. The interviewee may also need some time to search their memory and form answers. They can be give time through long pauses and minimal interruptions when answering. Additionally, the interviewer should examine the non-verbal cues from the witness. Every response and reaction from the witness should be acknowledged. Some memories may require a drawing or sketch and the witness should be encouraged to do so as to promote extensive memory recall. Additionally, phrasing a similar question in different ways is likely to get more details. For example, in the interview above, the office could have asked Jamal about the accent through different questions such as “Did the accent remind you of any person you have heard before?” “Were there any unusual words used?” and so on. The interviewer should stay away from negative questions, tones, or comments. An interviewee should only answer questions that they are comfortable answering and they should not be made to feel inadequate. In the interview when Jamal does not recall the car, the officer positively encourages him and uses a CI technique to nudge him into remembering the relevant information in his memory. The effectiveness of CI is centered on asking questions around a relevant scene until all the information is exhausted and then moving on to another part. The questions must be compatible with the leading memory at the time. For example, if the interviewee is thinking about the license plate of the car, the interviewer should not ask questions about the robbers face. The logic is that a memory is more accessible when the witness is currently accessing it (Pecher, Zeelenberg, & Barsalou, 2003). In CI there are two techniques used to enhance the recollection of information known as the Multiple and Varied Recall. The main purpose of the techniques is to request for the narrative again but in a reverse order and request the witness to change the physical and theoretical perspective on the event. The methods are applied at the closure of the specific question phase and they help access multiple routes to the memory. Recalling information in the reverse order is significant because it can help the interviewer generate more information. The technique uses a frame-by-frame approach to elicit details and provide a clear chronology of events. However, the methods can only be effective after all the information has been gathered during the open-ended narration and the probing and follow-up question phases. Review The use of the review stage is to check on the accuracy of the information given. The witness gets a chance to recall more information that may be relevant to the case. The interviewer reads their notes back to the interviewee so as to clarify on any inconsistencies and uncertainties. The interviewee corrects any errors and omissions in the notes. It is the duty of the interviewer to inform the witness of any new information as a result of their recollection. In case of contradictions and discrepancies, the interviewer should use a non-challenging tone to ask the witness to clarify on the matter. If the witness is not certain, the matter should not be pushed. Close The end of the interview fulfils the official requirements for any investigation. All the information about the interviewee should be collected. The interviewer must thank the interviewee for their cooperation and help. Additionally, the witness should be encouraged to get in touch with the interviewer in case they remember something else or some new information comes to light. The interviewer can also tell the witness that they will keep in touch or contact them if they have any questions. An extended interview can be beneficial because some people experience delayed recollection especially in traumatic events (Fisher & Geiselman, 2010). Conclusion In brief, PEACE method is a strong investigative tool used by most police officers to investigate crimes. The model is used to positively extract information from victims, witnesses, and suspects without intimidating them. The model is highly recommended because it helps build relationships between the interviewer and the interviewee that yield significant information and keep future communication open. Each of the five steps of PEACE is essential in the process of extracting information. The relevance is outlined in the in the interview conducted and its applications clearly outline drawn out. Cognitive interview is crucial for the retrieval of information from the memory of a witness as explained. An interviewer’s job is to try and reconstruct the environment and personal context of the crime by enquiring about their activities and other factors. The approach is witness-centered as they describe explicit details. The role of the interviewer is to encourage the witness and help them explore their memories in a way that triggers more information. The technique is very important in a traumatic event and the police are encouraged to use CI because it is considerate and very successful. References Bull, R. (2014). Investigative interviewing. New York : Springer. Bull, R., Valentine, T., & Williamson, D. T. (2009). Handbook of Psychology of Investigative Interviewing: Current Developments and Future Directions. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Fisher, R.P. & Geiselman, R.E. (2010). The cognitive interview method of conducting police interviews: Eliciting extensive information and promoting therapeutic jurisprudence. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 33, 321-328. McGurk, B. J., Carr, M. J., & McGurk, D. (1993). Investigative interviewing courses for police officers: An evaluation. Home Office Police Research Group. Pecher, D., Zeelenberg, R., & Barsalou, L.W. (2003). Verifying different-modality properties for concepts produces switching costs. Psychological Science, 14, 119-124. Schollum, M. (2005). Investigative interviewing: The literature. Wellington: Office of the Commissioner of Police. Read More