Investigating the Impact of Delayed Administration on the Efficacy of the Self-Administered Interview

Abstract

The Self-Administered Interview (SAI©) is a recall tool designed to elicit comprehensive initial witness statements while minimising demands on police resources. Previous studies have found that immediate SAI© administration increased recall accuracy and even helped inoculate against misinformation. However, no studies have examined the effect of delayed SAI© administration on recall quantity and quality. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of a delay between the witnessed event and administration of the SAI© on recall accuracy. After watching a crime video, the SAI© was administered to participants either immediately, after a delay of 24 hr, after 1 week or not at all. Two weeks after watching the video participants were introduced to post-event information (PEI) via an audio discussion, before completing a free recall statement. It was found that delayed administration of the SAI© negatively impacted upon recall accuracy and susceptibility to incorrect PEI. The efficacy of the SAI© appears to be dependent upon administration within 24 hr of the critical event.

Key words:

• eyewitness memory
• eyewitness testimony
• police interview
• post-event information
• Self-Administered Interview
• witness statement