This book it is a comprehensive guide, aimed at professionals, that starts with the interview of the victim of the crime, moving through the interviewing of suspects, to the decision to prosecute and enhancing the quality of evidence presented in court. Other topics discussed include: false allegations, false confessions, offender profiling and victim support. Throughout, the theme of the book is that the chain of events leading to the successful investigation and prosecution of offences is only as strong as the weakest link, and should be considered as a coherent whole.

About the Editors.About the Contributors.Acknowledgements.Preface.Introduction (Graham Davies and Mark Kebbell).1. Interviewing Victims of Crime, Including Children and Peoplewith Intellectual Disabilities (Becky Milne and RayBull).2. Procedural Recommendations to Increase the Reliability ofEyewitness Identifications (Jennifer Beaudry, Rod Lindsay andPaul Dupuis).3. Investigating Criminal Cases of Delayed Reports of SexualAbuse (Laurence Alison and Mark Kebbell).4. Psychological Characteristics of Offenders (Kevin Howellsand Jacqueline Stacey).5. Detecting Deception (Aldert Vrij).6. Improving the Interviewing of Suspected Offenders (MarkKebbell and Emily Hurren).7. Strategies for Preventing False Confessions and TheirConsequences (Deborah Davis and Richard Leo).8. Offender Profiling: Limits and Potential (Laurence Alisonand Mark Kebbell).9. Deciding to Prosecute (Elizabeth Gilchrist).10. Preventing Withdrawal of Complaints and PsychologicalSupport for Victims (Graham Davies and Helen Westcott).11. Communicating Risk to the Court (Don Grubin).12. Future Directions for Applying Psychology to ForensicInvestigations and Prosecutions (Mark Kebbell and GrahamDavies).Index.