The Quality of Korean Police Officers’ Investigative Interviews with Alleged Sexual Abuse Victims as Revealed by Self-Report and Observation

Abstract

This study examined Korean police officers’ perceptions of how well they used recommended techniques and then assessed whether they followed the relevant guidelines. Most police officers believed that they adhered to recommended guidelines but few actually did. Police officers perceived that invitations were the most useful types of questions and reported using invitations frequently during their interviews, but in practice they rarely used invitations and relied instead on option-posing and directive questions. Moreover, some recommended practices, including the need for an introductory phase (concerned with explaining the purpose of the interview and the ground rules), rapport building, and episodic memory training were often neglected by the interviewers. This study provides unique insight into Korean police officers’ perceived and actual practices when interviewing allegedly abused child victims. The findings have important implications for ongoing efforts to improve Korean police investigative practices.