RT Article
T1 Lost in the detail: Prosecutors' perceptions of the utility of video recorded police interviews as rape complainant evidence
JF The Australian and New Zealand journal of criminology
VO 50
IS 2
SP 252
OP 268
A1 Westera, Nina J.
A1 Milne, Becky
A1 Powell, Martine B.
LA English
YR 2017
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1736850504
AB This study explored the perceptions of ten Crown Prosecutors about the utility of police interviews as video evidence-in-chief for adult sexual assault complainants to determine how to improve these interviews. A themed analysis of prosecutors' responses indicated three major concerns about these interviews: the interviewer using wordy instructions, the lack of chronology and logical structure, and the relentless pursuit of unnecessary detail. These findings suggest that prosecutors' concerns are primarily due to police using cognitive interview methods that attempt to enhance the amount of detail recalled by a complainant. The authors discuss why generating large amounts of detail may be problematic in interviews with sexual assault complainants and provide recommendations for how police can adapt interview practices to better meet evidential needs.
K1 Cognitive interview
K1 Criminal investigation
K1 Eyewitness testimony
K1 Prosecution
K1 Sexual offences
K1 Video evidence
DO 10.1177/0004865815620705