Legal psychology experts convene at FIU


Some of the world’s top legal psychologists convened May 19 in the Kovens Center at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus for a conference hosted by the School of Integrated Science and Humanity.

The two-day event celebrated the work of FIU psychology professor Ronald Fisher considered one of the leading investigative interviewing researchers in the world. Researchers from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, The Netherlands, Israel and across the United States were in attendance.

IMG_0283_featureFocusing on the cognitive interview — a technique developed by Fisher which enables witnesses to recall more information about a witnessed event — the conference covered topics including social interaction in eyewitness identification, interviewing intoxicated and child witnesses as well as interviewing sexual assault victims.

“The cognitive interview is the most empirically validated, used and trained witness interviewing approach in the world,” said psychologist Nadja Schreiber Compo, one of the event’s organizers. “Ron Fisher’s profound impact on the field of investigative interviewing was celebrated by having speakers present how Ron’s legacy has inspired their work.”

Fisher’s research focuses on issues related to applying principles of cognition within the contexts of the law and national security. He has trained with the FBI, the National Transportation and Safety Board, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and other law enforcement agencies worldwide.

For a detailed program of featured speakers, click here.