Through research, innovation, collaboration, and outreach, prosecutor offices are developing many effective methods for investigating and litigating these violent crimes, as well as preventing future incidents. This paper provides an overview of some of the successful approaches being used by prosecutors around the country.
Ben Struhl, Executive Director, Crime and Justice Policy Lab (CJP) at the University of Pennsylvania
Linda Ford, Counsel to the Legal Training Unit and Senior Trial Counsel, New York County District Attorney’s Office
Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Derek Fitch, Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, Minnesota
Deputy DA Michael Vidmar, Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office, California
Debra Gillispie: Mothers Against Gun Violence (MAGV), Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Social Science Researcher Stacy Sechrist, PhD, RTI International, Justice Practice Area
Chief Assistant DA Anna Rossi Anderson, Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, Utah
Wayne Thomas, BSC (HONS) PSYCH, MA (OXON), PGCE, MBPSS, Tailored Training Programs
Linda Ford, Counsel to the Legal Training Unit, New York County District Attorney’s Office, New York
On September 9, 2025 PCE hosted a Pop-Up on Science-Based Interviewing. It focused on prosecutor’s use of evidence backed techniques grounded in psychology and cognitive science to gather accurate and reliable information from witnesses, victims, and suspects. These methods prioritize rapport-building and open-ended questioning to reduce bias, enhance recall, and strengthen the quality of evidence. If you are interested in the meeting materials, please contact PCE.
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