Reacting to COVID-19 required significant, immediate changes to Government processes including the Criminal Justice System. Clearly, police investigations must continue, and victims, witnesses and suspects of crime must be interviewed. However, lockdowns and social distancing measures means that investigators are unable to conduct interviews, and legal/third party professionals are unable to communicate with clients in a traditional format. Thus, remote communication is one such way currently being conducted across the UK, however, this is not standardised and the current research-base to prove its efficacy is extremely limited.
This research team funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, comprises experts in the field and will work in collaboration with national and international partners. They will produce much-needed evidence-based reports and resources to enable immediate and direct impact for our partners and stakeholders.
Read more about it here.
Contribute to the research on victims and witnesses and remote interviewing by contributing to Northumbria University's study: Share their survey to be filled out by victims and witnesses.