Effective evaluation of forensic interviews: The Forensic Interview Trace (FIT)

Forensic interviewing forms an integral part of a police/law enforcement officer’s main duties and responsibilities. However, not every interviewer possesses suitable interview skills to be able to complete this effectively. Despite the introduction of the PEACE model of interviewing, with the last ‘E’ focusing specifically on ‘Evaluation’, this stage of the interview model rarely gets the attention it deserves. This is concerning given the need for forensic interviews to be legally ‘bomb-proof’. Although the Griffiths Question Map (GQM) has gone some way to assist in the effective evaluation of forensic interviews, focusing solely on question types restricts its use in evaluating the entirety of a forensic interview. However, the more recently developed Forensic Interview Trace (FIT) ã allows the reviewer to record all aspects of a forensic interview, including questioning, interviewee responses, and interviewer and interviewee characteristics. This ensures that effective evaluations of forensic interviews can be undertaken to ensure compliance with relevant guidance and legislation, whilst continuously evaluating individual interview performance to ensure that effective interview skills pertain to best practice.