Police and crime victim interactions – a study of the emotional dynamic in preliminary investigations of intimate partner violence
Interest, doubt, commitment, responsibility and certainty – emotions are important drivers when the police investigate cases concerning intimate partner violence. Still, it is a dimension of police work that is under-researched and knowledge is lacking. In this project, we examine the role of emotions in the interaction between police officers and plaintiffs and what emotions and logics guide and motivate investigatory measures and decisions in various stages of the preliminary investigation.
Details
- Period: 2024-05-01 – 2027-04-30
- Funder: Swedish Crime Victim Authority
Description:
Police work is guided by ideals of objectivity and impartiality, ideals that are associated with dispassion and the need to put emotions aside. At the same time, police investigations often deal with a complex and sometimes chaotic reality and the practical work of investigating crimes around gathering information, determining investigatory measures, evaluating evidence and ruling out alternative course of events – work that involves many difficult decision that elicit emotions. To find ways to move an investigation forward, police investigators are expected to be curious and attentive to their intuition, and to deal with investigative setbacks; commitment and feeling responsible is key. Emotions are also central for the legal assessment: while doubt and scepticism are important to critically examine new information, certainty and conviction closes the inquiry and settles one’s mind at the end of a criminal investigation.
In this research project, we explore the emotional dynamics of police investigations in intimate partner violence cases. Intimate partner violence is a type of crime where the participation of victims is particularly important in order to solve the crime. This creates a certain tension in the practical police work, on one hand the police investigators need to gain trust from the crime victims while they on the other hand need to scrutinise the credibility of the crime victims’ narratives.
We will follow cases from initial police report to final decision to prosecute or close down the investigation to examine the interplay between police investigators and crime victims and to understand the role of emotions in preliminary investigations. The findings will be anchored in theories of emotions, social interactions and victimology. The final results will shed light on the intersection of emotions and rationality in the police’s investigatory work and, by extension, aim to strengthen crime victims’ trust in the police and enhance their experiences of the legal process.
Contact information:
Principal investigator: Nina Törnqvist
E-mail: nina.tornqvist@uu.se
Visiting address: Engelska parken, Thunbergsvägen 3H
Postal address: Box 624, 751 26 UPPSALA