Fraud and peace: investigative interviewing and fraud investigation

The adaptation and application of the "PEACE" framework for investigative interviewing in public sector counter-fraud was intended to create a more professional body of trained counter-fraud interviewers and a more standardized interview model. This paper discusses the importance of interviewing in the investigation process, with specific reference to fraud. Specifically, it will examine the Department for Work and Pensions public sector agency. It examines how successfully the PEACE model can fit into fraud investigative interviewing, and investigates the attitudes and perceptions of fraud investigators to the PEACE framework as applied to the fraud interview. The paper refers to research indicating that PEACE is not being consistently applied in all interviews, and that some elements of the model might work better than others in relation to fraud interviews. Further, the paper highlights the mixed reaction of investigators to using the model, and leads to the proposition that perhaps the model needs to be adapted to "fit" fraud interviews.