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High-stake crime investigations include cases such as murder and rape. The purpose of this paper is to outline the components of an interview strategy for suspects. In the UK, these interviews are often managed by Interview Managers who are tasked with developing effective interview strategies with the aim of ensuring all parties involved in the interview process are dealt with ethically and legally using research-based methods.

This practitioner paper is based on the experience of the authors who have provided advice and support during high-stake crime investigations both nationally and internationally using the research-base to underpin their practical advice.

To be effective, a suspect strategy constructed by an Interview Manager in high-stake crime investigations should be designed within a framework that covers the provision of strategic advice on research-based interview processes including: co-ordination of the interview process, monitoring of the interview process and evaluation of the interview process.

To ensure interviews are effectively managed during high-stake crime investigations, the suspect interview strategy must be developed to a professional standard to allow for quality assurance and outside scrutiny.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published paper that outlines the nature of a suspect strategy that is based on a Framework consistent with elements of the UK National Occupational Standards.

The purpose of this paper is to explore service users’ experience of community meetings (CMs) within a high secure setting.

A qualitative design was employed in which focus groups were used to capture service users’ experience of CMs. In all, 12 focus groups comprising a total of 27 participants were carried out using a semi-structured interview schedule. Data were analysed using thematic and saliency analysis, identifying themes which were pertinent to the research aims.

Positive experiences reported by service users included a safe space to explore ward issues and develop skills, with some viewing the meeting as a therapeutic forum in which to facilitate personal growth.

There were a wide range of patient presentations and views. Furthermore, only 20 per cent of the patient population were included within this study.

A number of recommendations have been identified that can have positive implications for patients (quality of life and recovery), staff (resolving conflicts and problem-solving) and the overall therapeutic milieu of the ward.

There are no reviews looking at CMs within the last decade. This paper brings the understanding up to date to allow the development of this potentially positive tool.