A POWERFUL WITNESS INTERVIEW TOOL TO ELICIT INITIAL ACCOUNTS
AN EVIDENCE-BASED INVESTIGATIVE TOOL TO ELICIT COMPREHENSIVE INITIAL witness STATEMENTS, QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR AN INTERVIEWER PRESENT.
VALIDATED BY OVER A DECADE OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.
The Self-Administered Interview, or SAI©, is an investigative tool proven to elicit significantly more comprehensive initial witness statements than a free recall interview
“Probably the most valuable additional tool placed at our disposal in the world of investigative interviewing since the adoption of the ‘PEACE’ model in the early 1990s...”
Force Specialist Investigative Interview Manager and Advisor
Greater Manchester Police, UK
Key Developments
NHS Marauding Terrorist Incidents
We are currently working with the NHS on adapting the Self-Administered Interview for marauding terrorist incidents.
SAI used in Aviation Incidents
In 2021 a version of the Self-Administered Interview was developed for aviation incident investigations, and used to great effect following a….
College of Policing endorse the SAI
In 2019, the College of Policing released new Authorised Professional Practice (APP) guidelines for frontline police officers on obtaining initial accounts from eyewitnesses, that includes a strategic recommendation that "Interview advisers should consider use of the Self-Administered Interview in single incidents involving high numbers of witnesses”.
The SAI provides a means for obtaining high quality evidence from witnesses at the scene of an incident, or shortly afterwards, with minimal drain on resources.
It was originally developed to address the serious challenge faced by investigators when an incident occurs for which there are numerous eyewitnesses. Any of these witnesses may hold information that will provide both critical leads for the investigation or compelling evidence in a trial. However, investigators do not always have the resources in terms of time, expertise, or personnel to conduct detailed interviews with many witnesses shortly after an incident.
The Self-Administered Interview takes the form of a standardised protocol of clear instructions, retrieval facilitation techniques, and open questions that guide witnesses through the process of producing their own statement without the need for a trained interviewer to be present. It protects a witness’s memory against forgetting and exposure to post-event information
The SAI also enables investigators to ‘prioritise’ key witnesses for follow-up interview, saving both time and resources.
Significantly more accurate and detailed information than a free-recall
Protects against forgetting and post-event information
Effectively prioritise witnesses with minimal resources
Developed in collaboration with police forces worldwide
Developed, tested and refined over a decade
The Self-Administered Interview is the culmination of over ten years of research and refinement by some of the worlds leading academic experts in memory and forensic psychology. It is currently the subject of many papers in journals around the world, and is cited as one of the most downloaded papers.
Used by Police forces and investigators globally
The SAI is a proven and trusted tool used by Police Forces around the world. Collaborative, long term field trials has led to the implementation of the Self Administered Interview in police forces around the world. Using the SAI is a strategic recommendation within new Authorised Professional Practice (APP) guidelines for frontline police officers on obtaining initial accounts from eyewitnesses.
Where should the SAI be used?
Police & Law Enforcement
Secure detail-rich witness statements with minimal resources. Quickly identify key witnesses, and protect memory integrity. Used by Police Forces around the world.
Workplace Incidents
Reporting vital information about workplace accidents and incidents is easy with SAW-IT - the industrial version of the Self Administered Interview.
Road Traffic Incidents
Memory is vulnerable during high stress incidents. The SAI-RTC helps elicit and protect eyewitness memory, and provide investigators with significantly more detail than a conventional interview.
Missing Persons Incidents
Elicit detail heavy statements about a missing person during the critical 72hr period, or use a proven method to extract rich detail after extended periods. SAI-Missing has been developed with Locate International.
Aviation & Marine Incidents
High value, high casualty incidents, often in remote locations, create a number of challenges for investigators. The SAI is proven to elicit significantly more detail than a cognitive interview.
The Self-Administered Interview (SAI) is endorsed by the UK College of Policing
Authorised Professional Practice (APP) guidelines 2019
Who uses the SAI?
