Tveganja in koristi vključevanja tolmačev v policijske razgovore

Purpose: To identify best practice in interpreter use in suspect and intelligence interviews conducted by an international sample of experienced law enforcement practitioners in Asian Pacific jurisdictions (Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea and Sri Lanka). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 121 practitioners who described their experiences with and perceptions of interpreter-mediated interviews. Responses were transcribed and coded by trained research assistants, achieving a high degree of inter-rater reliability. Findings: The practitioners agreed that interpreters changed the interview dynamic, and identified benefits and risks of interpreter use. The responses revealed misconceptions about interpreter codes of practice regarding neutrality. Major concerns were maintaining control of the interview, accuracy loss, maintenance of nonverbal communication, interview duration and fatigue. Strategies used to manage interviews were the selection of the interpreter, advance preparation regarding ground rules and content, and placement of the interpreter (behind/ adjacent to the interviewee). The key to a successful interview was a skilled, experienced interpreter. Research Limitations: Although the purposive sample was not representative, data from multiple practitioners revealed commonalities across jurisdictions. Self-reports are subject to memory distortions and cannot be validated, thus future research in a controlled experiment is recommended. Practical Implications: Interviewer training is needed: (i) to familiarise interviewers with differences between trained, accredited interpreters and untrained bilingualsand (ii) effective strategies to ensure accurate information, maintain nonverbal communication and the legal right of interviewees to a fair interview. Originality/Value: Unique insights were gained from experienced practitioners in the field on an important global issue. Their observations hold significance for interviewing practitioners, interview training programmes, and researchers.Namen prispevka: Cilj raziskave je bil opredeliti najboljšo prakso vključevanja tolmačev v policijske razgovore na podlagi mednarodnega vzorca izkušenih predstavnikov organov pregona iz azijsko-pacifiške regije (Avstralija, Indonezija, Filipini, Južna Koreja in Šrilanka). Metode: Opravljenih je bilo 121 pol strukturiranih intervjujev s predstavniki organov pregona, ki so opisali svoje izkušnje in dojemanje vključevanja tolmačev v policijske razgovore. Odgovore so prepisali in kodirali usposobljeni raziskovalni asistenti, kar zagotavlja visoko stopnjo zanesljivosti. Ugotovitve: Respondenti so se strinjali, da vključenost tolmača spremeni dinamiko razgovora, in identificirali koristi ter tveganja njihove vključenosti. Iz odgovorov je razvidna napačna predstava respondentov o kodeksih ravnanja tolmačev glede nepristranskosti. Glavni pomisleki so se nanašali na ohranitev nadzora nad razgovorom, izgubo natančnosti, ohranjanje ustrezne neverbalne komunikacije, trajanje razgovora in utrujenost. Strategije, ki se uporabljajo za vodenje razgovorov, so izbira tolmača, vnaprejšnje priprave v zvezi z osnovnimi pravili in vsebino ter položaj tolmača (za/poleg izpraševanca). Ključ do uspešnega razgovora je vešč, izkušen tolmač. Omejitve/uporabnost raziskave Kljub temu, da vzorec ni bil reprezentativen, so pridobljeni podatki razkrili skupne značilnosti različnih jurisdikcij. V izogib odzivom, ki so lahko podvrženi izkrivljanju spomina, je v prihodnje priporočljivo izvesti raziskavo v obliki nadzorovanega poskusa. Praktična uporabnost: Izpraševalce je treba usposobiti: (i) da se seznanijo z razlikami med usposobljenimi, akreditiranimi tolmači in neusposobljenimi, laičnimi dvojezičnimi posameznikiin (ii) glede učinkovitih strategij za zagotavljanje točnosti informacij, ohranjanje ustrezne neverbalne komunikacije ter pravice izpraševanca do poštenega razgovora. Izvirnost/pomembnost prispevka: Intervjuji z izkušenimi predstavniki organov pregona omogočajo edinstven vpogled v pomemben globalni problem. Njihova opažanja so velikega pomena za strokovnjake s področja vodenja policijskih razgovorov, za oblikovanje programov usposabljanja izpraševalcev ter za raziskovalce

Tatsächliche und wahrgenommene Richtigkeit von Personenidentifizierungen älterer Augenzeugen

<jats:title>Zusammenfassung</jats:title><jats:p>In einer Zusammenschau dreier in englischsprachigen Fachzeitschriften publizierten Studien wurden die tatsächliche und die wahrgenommene Richtigkeit von Identifizierungsaussagen älterer und junger Augenzeugen verglichen. Die Studien wurden in ein integratives Modell von Augenzeugenaussagen und deren Evaluation eingebettet, das zwischen einer Informationsverarbeitungsebene, einer Metagedächtnisebene und einer Beurteilungsebene unterscheidet. Studie 1 von Martschuk und Sporer (2018) untersuchte anhand einer Metaanalyse den Alterseffekt beim Wiedererkennen von Gesichtern auf der Informationsverarbeitungsebene. Die Ergebnisse zeigten einen robusten Alterseffekt (bessere Leistungen jüngerer Versuchsteilnehmer) sowie einen Vorteil zugunsten von Gesichtern der eigenen Altersgruppe („own-age bias“). Studie 2 von Martschuk et al. (2019) gab Aufschluss über Metagedächtnisprozesse als Funktion des Alters von Zeugen in einer Feldstudie. Sie zeigte eine zunehmende Dissoziierung zwischen der Identifizierungsleistung und der subjektiven Sicherheit sowie der Entscheidungszeit von 16 bis 85 Jahren. Studie 3 (Martschuk und Sporer 2020) untersuchte auf der Beurteilungsebene, wie Geschworene in einer Simulationsstudie ältere im Vergleich zu jungen Augenzeugen wahrnehmen: Geschworene waren sich nur teilweise altersbedingter Gedächtnisveränderungen bewusst, berücksichtigten diese jedoch nicht ausreichend während der Beweiswürdigung von Identifizierungsaussagen älterer Augenzeugen. Zusammenfassend zeigen die Studien, dass das Gedächtnis und das Metagedächtnis für Gesichter im Alter fehleranfälliger sind als im jungen Alter. Demzufolge sollten Urteiler, d. h. Ermittlungsbeamte, Staatsanwälte, Geschworene und Richter das Alter von Zeugen, zusammen mit deren Entscheidungszeiten und ihrer subjektiven Sicherheit miteinbeziehen, wenn sie Identifizierungsaussagen bewerten.</jats:p&gt

Using Pretest-Posttest Research Designs to Enhance Jury Decision-Making

When lay jurors are unfamiliar with key evidentiary issues, expert evidence, judicial instructions and group deliberation may enhance their understanding of this evidence. Systematic steps to assess the relationship between juror biases in cases of child sexual abuse are offered as an example to illustrate a programmatic research approach. Using pretest-posttest research designs, the effectiveness of three traditional legal procedural safeguards to reduce common jury misconceptions in the context of simulated trials were tested and compared. By measuring mock-juror knowledge before and after each intervention, knowledge gains attributable to these interventions were distinguished from practice effects. Unexpected increases in acquittals following deliberation underscored the importance of adding adequate control groups and of testing deliberation effects in jury simulation studies. Benefits of this research paradigm to assist courts, legal counsel and policy makers in devising effective methods to enhance jury decisions in complex criminal cases are discussed. Cuando los miembros del jurado popular no est&aacute;n familiarizados con los temas probatorios clave, las pruebas periciales, las instrucciones judiciales y la deliberaci&oacute;n de grupo pueden mejorar su comprensi&oacute;n de las evidencias. Se ofrecen pasos sistem&aacute;ticos para evaluar la relaci&oacute;n entre sesgos del jurado en casos de abusos a menores como un ejemplo para ilustrar un enfoque de investigaci&oacute;n program&aacute;tica. Se prob&oacute; y compar&oacute; la efectividad de tres garant&iacute;as procesales jur&iacute;dicas tradicionales para reducir los malentendidos comunes de los jurados en el contexto de juicios simulados, usando patrones de investigaci&oacute;n pre y post an&aacute;lisis. Al medir el conocimiento de jurados en juicios simulados antes y despu&eacute;s de cada intervenci&oacute;n, se distingu&iacute;an los conocimientos adquiridos atribuibles a estas intervenciones. Un aumento inesperado de absoluciones despu&eacute;s de la deliberaci&oacute;n pon&iacute;a de manifiesto la importancia de a&ntilde;adir grupos de control adecuados y analizar los efectos de la deliberaci&oacute;n en los estudios de jurados en juicios simulados. Se analizan los beneficios de este paradigma de investigaci&oacute;n para ayudar a tribunales, abogados y legisladores en el desarrollo de m&eacute;todos eficaces para mejorar las decisiones del jurado en casos penales complejos. DOWNLOAD THIS PAPER FROM SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2786072</p

Procedural fairness and jury satisfaction : an analysis of relational dimensions

This chapter examines jury reform efforts based on the four key principles of procedural justice (respect, trustworthiness, voice, and neutrality). It also discusses ways of showing respect to the accused that can have an indirect effect on juries. First, the chapter examines ways in which the physical environment of the courtroom and the jury room can be designed to reduce juror discomfort (respectful treatment) and enhance jury neutrality. Second, the chapter discusses a range of matters relevant to trust in the jury, such as the exclusion of probative evidence from trials and the introduction of ‘question trails’ to guide jury deliberations. Third, the chapter discusses innovations that speak to the procedural justice interest in voice by allowing jurors to participate more actively in trials, such as allowing juries to take notes and to submit questions to witnesses and the court. Finally, the chapter addresses issues of legitimacy. It discusses empirical research that shows that most jurors express a high degree of confidence in the criminal justice process and that legal professionals strongly support juries as an institution

Confidence of Older Eyewitnesses: Is It Diagnostic of Identification Accuracy?

Since the late 1980s evidence has been accumulating that confidence recorded at the time of identification is a reliable postdictor of eyewitness identification. Nonetheless, there may be noteworthy exceptions. In a re-analysis of a field study by Sauerland and Sporer (2009; N = 720; n = 436 choosers between 15 and 83 years old) we show that the postdictive value of confidence was reduced for participants aged 40 years or older. Different calibration indices and Bayesian analyses demonstrate a progressive dissociation between identification performance and confidence across age groups. While the confidence expressed following an identification remained unchanged across the lifespan, identification accuracy decreased. Young, highly confident witnesses were much more likely to be accurate than less confident witnesses. With increasing age, witnesses were more likely to be overconfident, particularly at the medium and high levels of confidence, and the postdictive value of confidence and decision times decreased. We conclude that witness age may be an important moderator to take into account when evaluating identification evidence

Note-taking in court interpreting: Interpreter perceptions and practices in a simulated trial

Note-taking for interpreting is a specialist skill originally developed to assist conference interpreters to remember the contents of long speeches when interpreting consecutively in a unidirectional mode. The bulk of the research into note-taking has been in relation to the classic consecutive interpreting mode in international settings, with little research into the use of note-taking in legal interpreting settings. This paper presents the results of a study on note-taking by 13 court interpreters in a simulated criminal trial in Sydney, Australia. It reports the results of interpreters’ note-taking practices, taking into account their language combination, their own perceptions of mental effort and the usefulness of notes as well as their overall interpreting performance

Disengaging and rehabilitating high-value detainees: a small scale qualitative study

In an era of international terrorism, interviews with high-value detainees may have the dual purpose of extracting useful information and of disengagement. We conducted a small-scale, qualitative study using in-depth, individual interviews with 11 experienced interviewers in the Southeast Asia region and Australia, in order to provide insights into the types of interviewing strategies employed in terrorist rehabilitation. Our findings highlight the potential efficacy of creating a physically comfortable and relaxed interview setting, and of using interview strategies that focus on rapport-building, principles of social persuasion and elements of procedural justice, along with a patient and flexible stance to questioning. We suggest that interviewers performing rehabilitation interviews with high-value detainees ought to be trained to use the social approach to interviewing

The Decision to Prosecute: A Comparative Analysis of Australian Prosecutical Guidelines

The decision whether to prosecute an individual can potentially impact a number of private and public interests. In Australia, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in each jurisdiction provides written prosecutorial guidelines relating to the decision to prosecute. Little scholarly attention has focused on how these guidelines differ in form and impact across jurisdictions. This article undertakes a text-based comparative analysis of the guidelines to identify the key similarities and differences in how the decision to prosecute is articulated in the policies of different Australian jurisdictions. This analysis shows that the tests used across Australia are broadly similar, while also identifying a number of differences. We highlight the need for empirical research on the decision to prosecute, to provide an insight into how the decision to prosecute is operationalised in practice, and how different formulations of the same or similar tests might impact the decision-making process