Police Psychology - Investigative Psychology

Investigative Psychology

Investigative psychology is a sub-speciality within police or law enforcement psychology that has gained its own following. This field was started in 2011 by Professor David Canter and Dr. Antony Brooks in Liverpool (U.K.) and it brings together issues relating to investigative information, the drawing of inferences and the ways in which law enforcement decision-making can be supported through scientific research. Investigative psychology grew directly out of empirical research. This field covers the full range of investigation related activities such as :

1. detection of deception,
2. investigative interviewing,
3. statement analyses
4. behavioral analyses of crimes.

This sphere has been much abused worldwide with the spread of the use of originally Eastern methods, including gradual copying of the type of methods once associated to some areas of Asia, what characterizes the latter is the contacting of the suspect via mental means, "thinking to" techniques known already in Eastern Europe followed by repetition of the alleged offence continually mentally to make it start repeating itself in the mind and even begin to affect speech. Thus these type of investigations and any based on them, being most legally conducted in their areas of origin are highly dubious.