NCJ Number
218873
Journal
Crime Prevention & Community Safety: An International Journal Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2007 Pages: 102-117
Date Published
April 2007
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Relying on a case study of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) public sector agency in the United Kingdom, this article examined whether the PEACE model for investigative interviewing could be effective for the investigation of fraud cases.
Abstract
The analysis revealed that the PEACE model for investigative interviewing was not being consistently applied to fraud interviews in the DWP. Additionally, it appeared that some aspects of the PEACE model might work better than others for fraud interviews and, as such, should be adapted for more effective use in fraud investigations. The findings also indicated that the attitudes of fraud interviewers toward the PEACE model were mixed, with many fraud investigators claiming that their investigative training did not translate well to the real world. The authors suggest that further training and enhanced supervisory standards should be provided to bolster communication and questioning skills and to help in the strategic design of complex interviews. Fraud investigators’ “assumption of guilt” also should be addressed as it contradicts the open-minded and non-judgmental approach of the PEACE model. The authors explain that the adaptation and application of the PEACE approach for investigative interviewing in public sector fraud cases was intended to create a more professional body of trained fraud investigators and a more standardized approach to fraud investigative interviewing. The PEACE model was developed from psychological theory and research that focused on the vulnerability of certain individuals, the fallibility of memory, and the potentially negative effects of inappropriate questioning techniques. This interviewing technique was adopted by all police forces in England and Wales and by the DWP. However, as previously stated, its application in the workplace has been met with mixed reviews. Figures, references