Kerry Marlow

The development of investigative interviewing a new phenomenon in British Policing.

Until the introduction of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1994, what actually occurred in the police interview room could only be speculated. The introduction of tape recorded interviews in 1987 made the interview process transparent. Subsequently, a number of high profile cases, Guildford Four, Birmingham Six and Cardiff Three highlighted serious concerns in police suspect interviews. As a consequence in 1992 ACPO issued guidance and training on the PEACE model of interviewing. During the same year as a consequence of a number of Child Abuse Inquiries the Home Office produced the ‘Memorandum of Good Practice on the video interviewing of child witnesses ’. Amendments to P.A.C.E 1984 required a greater skill in interviewing of suspects. The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act, 1999, resulted in the introduction of ‘Achieving Best Evidence:The interviewing of vulnerable persons (including children) involved in criminal proceedings’. This Act gave the opportunity for all vulnerable persons to have access to the criminal justice system. It also brought into scrutiny police practice on interviewing victims and witnesses. In the same year ACPO set up an Investigative Interviewing Strategy Group. This group have been the driving force for a 5 tiered structure ti interview training and practice.