Laura Dominique

Laura Dominique is an Assistant Professor in the Psychology Department at Northumbria University, where she conducts research on vulnerability in the Criminal Justice System (CJS), confessions and false confessions, with a strong emphasis on interviewing vulnerable victims, witnesses, and suspects. She is a Registered Intermediary who advises police officers and Courts on appropriate interview techniques for vulnerable individuals and regularly delivers training to national and international bodies.

Her research interests focus on identifying vulnerability in police custody, forensic interviewing of mentally disordered suspects, and the role of appropriate adults in suspect interviews. She has developed expertise in how interview styles impact investigation outcomes and has created practical tools to improve interviewing practices within the legal system. Her work bridges academic research with real-world application in law enforcement and judicial settings.

Dr. Dominique's research output demonstrates a consistent focus on improving practices for interviewing vulnerable individuals within the criminal justice system. Her publications reveal evolving approaches to vulnerability assessment, with increasing attention to mental health conditions and their impact on interview reliability. The development of the Forensic Interview Trace represents a significant practical application of her research.

• The Forensic Interview Trace© website (2023)

As a Registered Intermediary, Dr. Dominique advises police and courts on appropriate interviewing techniques. She has developed the Forensic Interview Trace app to assist officers in evaluating their interviews and regularly delivers training to national and international bodies on communicating effectively with vulnerable individuals. Her external position with the Ministry of Justice since 2014 demonstrates the practical impact of her work.

Dr. Dominique leads the Forensic Interview Trace project, which developed an application to assist law enforcement officers in evaluating their interviews with vulnerable individuals. This work represents the practical application of her research findings to improve real-world forensic interviewing practices.