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

Abstract

AbstractPrevious studies into the quality of investigating interviewing of suspects conducted in criminal investigations in England and Wales have almost exclusively focused on the skills and tactics employed by interviewing officers during interviews. However, interviewing officers are trained in an interviewing framework that includes the importance of evaluating interviews as a means of improving skills. In light of the scarcity of research concerning the evaluation task, this study examined perceptions of benefit fraud investigation personnel. A questionnaire was answered by 114 respondents including investigators, investigation managers, investigation trainers, and investigation inspectors. From their responses, it was evident that there was an understanding of the necessary skills required to conduct interviews. However, after comparing these responses with the actual interviewing practice of benefit fraud investigators, there was found to be a gap between these beliefs and practice. The findings suggest that although it is agreed what interviewing skills are required to conduct interviews, investigators and managers do not accurately reflect upon whether these skills are actually employed in interviews. This suggests that evaluation of interviews is being neglected and may well explain why research reveals interviewing performance to be often mediocre. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.