By: Francine Tiecher
Cogjus Laboratory will enable research and training in the areas of approach, interviews and interrogations of suspects, using cognitive psychology techniques
For those who are a spectator of police series or like movies with the same theme, possibly already stopped to think how it is possible that the characters have so much assertiveness in investigations. But, beyond fiction, the difficulty in making a suspect of some crime "open the game" or talking about what happened when under a police interrogation is a reality that professionals in the area face daily.
There is a practice commonly adopted in more developed countries, which is the training of police officers who carry out these activities, through scientific data and research, which aims to teach more assertive techniques and tools for conducting this process that is not easy, and that, in real life, bumps into many obstacles.
In this sense,, IMED begins to work in an unprecedented way with this type of training. Through Cogjus – Laboratory of Teaching and Research in Cognition and Justice, whose main objective is to carry out the dialogue between the science of Psychology and the practice of the Brazilian justice system, the project is proposing and testing innovations in the area of criminal investigation through research and training.
Cogjus was conceived and coordinated by Prof.. Dr. William Weber Cecconello, who has experience in creating training for police officers, since the topic was the focus of his doctorate conducted partly in the UK, where the professor had contact with internationally renowned researchers, in addition to having participated in training of this character in Ireland (Garda Síochána) and England (Surrey Police). Forensic Psychology is a consolidated field in other countries, but still incipient in Brazil.
William reports that this experience was fundamental to project planning. "If a police officer needs to interview a very shaken victim, but wasn't empowered for it, may have some difficulties in getting important information for research. Cognitive Psychology studies communication processes, memory, investigative thinking, among others, and can assist in this process. The academy develops and proposes techniques that can make investigative work more effective. The police are then trained for these techniques and can help improve the proposed technique, or even bring new demands. Like this, science seeks to achieve practice taking into account the reality and demands of police, seeking a partnership relationship and constant feedback from both parties", points out the researcher.
But, and how the laboratory's work dynamics at IMED will work? In this first year of implementation, the focus will be on the development of training in the area of, interview and interrogation of suspects. Stages of interviews with police officers are being planned, to understand the greatest procedure needs, towards, later, develop and test interview procedures. The project is already open edict for scholarship holders of psychology and law undergraduate courses.
Partnerships are already being articulated with the Civil Police of different states of Brazil. In addition, the initiative already has international partnerships to carry out the actions to be developed. For the year of 2021, around a lot of 30 $1,000 in the implementation of the Laboratory, in partnership with the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights. In addition to this,, the project has nationally renowned partnerships, as Professor Lilian Milnitsky Stein, PhD in psychology from the University of Arizona, and pioneer in the theme of Psychology of Testimony in Brazil, who will act as a consultant to Cogjus.
Josiane Razera, who is coordinator of the Psychology Course, highlights that the project, which is fostered by IMED's academic pillars of innovation and entrepreneurship, will provide important academic and social gains. "Students linked to the Psychology course will have the opportunity to participate in the action research proposed by Cogjus, which will certainly be a unique complement to your training".
The initiative is a partnership between the IMED Foundation and the Psychology Course of The Passo Fundo Campus. The idea is to expand the service throughout Brazil, in order to meet forwarded demands from the police stations themselves, and offer a more appropriate training to professionals in this area, bringing more effectiveness to the unfolding and resolutions of the cases investigated.
Marcia Capellari, Director of the Innovation Hub of the IMED Foundation points out that "any action that impacts contributions to society in a more assertive way, intelligent and productive reinforces the mission of an educational and research institution focused on innovation. In this particular case, we are looking directly at developing and improving the soft skills of police officers who can use forensic technological resources using their main differential of human beings which is communication and the ability to express feelings", Highlights.