Benefit Fraud Investigative Interviewing: A Self‐Report Study of Investigation Professionals’ Beliefs Concerning Practice

摘要

Previous studies into the quality of investigating interviewing of suspects conducted inncriminal investigations in England and Wales have almost exclusively focused on the skillsnand tactics employed by interviewing officers during interviews. However, interviewingnofficers are trained in an interviewing framework that includes the importance ofnevaluating interviews as a means of improving skills. In light of the scarcity of researchnconcerning the evaluation task, this study examined perceptions of benefit fraudninvestigation personnel. A questionnaire was answered by 114 respondents includingninvestigators, investigation managers, investigation trainers, and investigation inspectors.nFrom their responses, it was evident that there was an understanding of the necessarynskills required to conduct interviews. However, after comparing these responses with thenactual interviewing practice of benefit fraud investigators, there was found to be a gapnbetween these beliefs and practice. The findings suggest that although it is agreed whatninterviewing skills are required to conduct interviews, investigators and managers do notnaccurately reflect upon whether these skills are actually employed in interviews. Thisnsuggests that evaluation of interviews is being neglected and may well explain whynresearch reveals interviewing performance to be often mediocre. Copyright © 2011 JohnnWiley & Sons, Ltd.