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The development of a robust criminal justice system is vital in any civilised society and benefits victims, witnesses, police, suspects, and the general public. Research in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London has investigated fundamental principles underlying memory retrieval in the context of criminal justice scenarios in which memory may be particularly vulnerable. This research has had major impacts on the way in which police interview witnesses to a crime, and on the way in which video identification parades are conducted. It has also led indirectly to significant developments in the way in which evidence from very young children is treated in court.
An ongoing programme of research has been underway at Edge Hill University since 2006 to examine the antecedents and outcomes of debilitating exam-related anxiety. This research has identified a need for intervention with students at critical stages of their educational career (particularly GCSE with the implications for future life trajectory in terms of access to further education and training). Findings have been used to develop and trial a novel, multimodal, ICT-delivered, intervention.
Changes to the law in the early 1990s removed the need for corroborating or physical evidence in abuse cases and allowed videotaped evidence of a child or other vulnerable witnesses to be used in a criminal court. This necessitated the drawing up of guidance to help police officers and other judicial practitioners, gather crucial evidence while minimising unintentional influence. Research at Leicester has underpinned work to assess and improve the effectiveness of this guidance and to create a framework of procedural best practice. This has influenced and directed the formation of protocols and training development of practitioners for uniform, fair and reliable investigative interviewing of vulnerable witnesses and for accurate identification and interrogative interviewing of suspects in the UK and through the sharing of best practice, across the UK and internationally.
The Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre (BPNRC) has an international reputation for research conducted in collaboration with industry to assess the impact of nutrition and dietary interventions on brain function. Our research benefits our industrial partners financially, in terms of increased product sales, and by providing evidence supporting the introduction of new products that improve consumer wellbeing. This case study focuses on research that supported Bayer to develop successful brands with public health benefits.
The Self-Administered Interview (SAI©) is a powerful evidence-based investigative interviewing tool designed to elicit comprehensive initial statements from multiple witnesses and victims, particularly in time- and resource-critical situations. Developed in the laboratory and tested in the field, the research underpinning the SAI© has resulted in changes in policy, professional practice and training activities within police forces internationally. Operationally, the SAI© has contributed to the investigation of major criminal incidents enabling investigators to collect information from witnesses in challenging situations. The SAI© has elicited critical leads and compelling evidence for Court proceedings — indicating public benefit arising from service improvements.
Professor Tim Valentine is an expert in facial identification by eyewitnesses. His research has proved that video lineups provide more reliable evidence than live lineups. It has contributed to changes in the legal code of practice for eyewitness identification. He has trained hundreds of police officers and lawyers in the problems of witness identification, and acted as an expert witness in criminal cases. High-profile cases include Abdel Basset al-Megrahi (the Lockerbie bomber), Barry George (wrongly convicted of Jill Dando's murder) and Omar Deghayes, a British resident detained in Guantanamo Bay.
Researchers at Abertay University are engaged in research that focuses on developing and testing evidence-based procedures that inform and enhance policing procedures surrounding evidence gathering. One particularly successful line of research has produced an innovative investigative tool called the `Self Administered Interview' (SAI©) that is proven to enhance witness statements and protect memory. The SAI© was developed and tested in a series of controlled lab-based studies at UAD, and later field-tested with eyewitnesses to real crimes with the support of the Association of Chief Police Officers. The SAI© is already standard police practice in some UK and European forces with over 2,500 officers trained in its use. It has also been used in major Health and Safety investigations in the off-shore Oil and Gas industry.
This research, which examines police investigatory methods to identify police suspects has directly increased suspect identification rates by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). It led to the MPS establishing a register of `super-recognisers' - officers particularly skilled at identifying faces from CCTV footage - and changed practices. Dissemination of the research, also well-publicised in the media, has influenced national policy makers. There is worldwide interest and secured European funding for a test to identify super-recognisers amongst police cohorts. The research is also improving recognition of EFIT-V images, the facial composite system used by most UK police forces. Dr Davis is disseminating his findings through the training course that operators have to complete to be certified to produce composites in real police investigations. He is also contributing to economic impact by enhancing the EFIT-V product.
The Operator Functional State (OFS) describes the psychological capacity of an operator to deliver safe and effective performance. Expertise in OFS theory and methodology was developed at LJMU via studies of driving behaviour and aviation control. When the European Space Agency wished to prioritise issues surrounding OFS in the context of space exploration, they recruited an expert from LJMU. The resulting discussion led to the identification of key issues to maintain operational skill and reduce accident likelihood during long duration space missions. The expertise developed at LJMU has influenced the European programme for space exploration over the coming decade.
Since 2007, a team of researchers at Northumbria led by Professor Margaret (Greta) Defeyter (employed at Northumbria since Sept 2003) have been investigating the effects of breakfast on children's cognitive performance and social behaviours. The research findings have been translated into an online training programme that has up-skilled the workforce (e.g. teachers, governors, NHS Public Health Advisors and parent volunteers) from across the UK. This training provision has resulted in the start-up of 212 school breakfast clubs across the UK. School staff and public health advisors have reported a significant impact on their knowledge and skills, as well as the training programme having influenced practice and shared learning between colleagues. Following the implementation of school breakfast clubs, teachers have reported gains in terms of school attendance, punctuality and motivation (increased attainment) and quality of life (social deprivation, behaviour and nutrition) of many children involved in the UK.