The Media In Serious Crime Investigations (Home Office : UK)

The following is a Home Office (UK) Police Research Series Paper (120) by Andy Feist (November 1999) entitled "The Media in Serious Crime Investigations".

Some of the areas dealt with are the media's interest in serious crimes, the demands on the investigation, the disclosure of information, the objectives of the media and their portrayal of serious crime investigations.

Media handling in serious crime investigations is a complex issue. On the one hand, the media can be an important mechanism for generating valuable information from the general public. On the other hand, dealing with the media can take up valuable time and resources during the critical early stages of an investigation. Consequently, media handling has been acknowledged as a critical skill of the Senior Investigating Officer.

This report summarises the findings of interviews with SIO's and media liaison officers on media handling issues in sixteen investigations of murder and sexual assault. It examines general issues around the management of media interest in serious crime investigations; the disclosure and acquisition of information via the media; general relations with the press, victims, victims' relatives and communities; and personnel issues in media handling.

Download Full Report