Forensic, Investigative and Conflict Psychology
The aim of our research is to further understanding of decision making, communication and risk management. We research decision inertia, risk management tools (especially in sexual offences), conflict, terrorism, major crime and interviewing and interrogation.
Our work uses state-of-the-art methods including: field based research, high fidelity simulations, real world training practise, scenario based learning and access to leading experts in law enforcement, emergency services and defence.
We work closely with the following organisations: Home Office, defence agencies, National Crime Agency, FBI, CIA, Fire and Rescue and Health Agencies.
Our impact
We received 4* ratings for two impact case studies in REF 2021. These are restricted documents but relate to our work on child protection and interrogation and communication in extreme environments. Both Impact Case Studies involved field based research and the development of processes and tools that decrease human suffering, identify risk and create substantial commercial cost savings to UK Government.
Our research
Some key open access papers are set out below:
Risk
- Prioritizing Indecent Image Offenders: A Systematic Review and Economic Approach to Understand the Benefits of Evidence-Based Policing Strategies - PubMed (nih.gov)
- An empirical assessment of the Prioritization and Intervention for Violent Extremists Tool (PIVET). - PsycNET (apa.org)
Decision making
- Frontiers | Police Perfection: Examining the Effect of Trait Maximization on Police Decision-Making (frontiersin.org)
- Military maximizers_ Examining the effect of individual differences in maximization on military decision-making (ground-truth.co.uk)
- Colliding sacred values: a psychological theory of least-worst option selection
- The Right to Silence and the Permission to Talk: Motivational Interviewing and High-Value Detainees
Interviewing
- The Efficacy of Rapport-Based Techniques for Minimizing Counter-Interrogation Tactics Amongst a Field Sample of Terrorists (pdf, 499KB)
- Observing Rapport-Based Interpersonal Techniques to Gather Information From Victims
- Revenge Versus Rapport (ground-truth.co.uk)
- Frontiers | An Economic Evaluation of the Impact of Using Rapport-Based Interviewing Approaches With Child Sexual Abuse Suspects (frontiersin.org)
Key staff
For more information visit key staff member’s individual web pages:
Professor Laurence Alison - http://www.ground-truth.co.uk
Professor Jon Cole – Tactical Decision-Making Research Group
Researchers