Publication
Title
How police officers experience suspect interviews : beliefs and practices in the Belgian interview room
Author
Abstract
The current study focuses on the beliefs and practices of Belgian police officers (N = 177) concerning suspect interviews. Enhancing and safeguarding the quality of suspect interviews can prevent miscarriages of justice, and a comprehensive understanding of the process is crucial. While prior research has explored suspects' perspectives on this issue, there has been no comprehensive study on European police officers' beliefs and practices. This study aims to fill this gap by investigating the attitudes of Belgian officers in two studies. Study 1 included Flemish-speaking police officers (N = 130), and Study 2 included French and German-speaking officers (N = 47). Using a self-report survey, officers were questioned about the duration, frequency, and recording of suspect interviews, suspects' use of legal rights, deception detection ability, (false) confession rates, and the use of various interviewing techniques. The findings suggest a positive shift in the Belgian approach to suspect interviewing, with more adherence to guidelines for minimizing false confessions. However, some officers still reported using accusatorial tactics, indicating that interviewing training in Belgium could benefit from more uniformity. By understanding the beliefs and practices of police officers, we can work towards developing effective interviewing techniques that protect the rights of suspects and promote justice.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of police and criminal psychology / Society of Police and Criminal Psychology. - Park Ridge, Ill., 1985, currens
Publication
New york : Springer , 2024
ISSN
0882-0783 [print]
1936-6469 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S11896-024-09654-1
Volume/pages
(2024) , 14 p.
ISI
001182950600001
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Law 
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 29.03.2024
Last edited 22.04.2024
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