Professor Becky Milne Profile Picture

Professor Becky Milne

Professor Becky Milne is a distinguished forensic psychologist and scientist, recognized as a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She serves as an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Police Science and Management and sits on the editorial boards of several leading journals, including the Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, Frontiers: Forensic and Legal Psychology, Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, and the British Journal of Forensic Practice. Becky is also an academic lead member of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) Investigative Interviewing Strategic Steering Group.

With over 25 years of experience, Professor Milne’s primary research and practice focus on advancing police interviewing and investigative processes. Collaborating with practitioners worldwide, she has developed evidence-based techniques to improve the quality of interviews conducted with witnesses, victims, intelligence sources, and suspects. Her work spans numerous countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, and many others, providing global impact through training, case advising, and the creation of novel interview methods.

Professor Milne’s contributions include designing the Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings document (2007), a landmark guide on interviewing vulnerable and intimidated witnesses and victims. More recently, in partnership with Dr. Kevin Smith, National UK Police Vulnerable Lead (NCA), she developed the Witness Interview Strategy for Critical Incidents (WISCI), which has been integral in responding to major incidents such as the 2017 London Bridge terror attack.

Her expertise extends to advanced training in Enhanced Cognitive Interviewing, advising on interviews with vulnerable groups (Tier 3 and 5), and supporting critical case reviews. Recognized for her exceptional contributions, she received the prestigious Tom Williamson Award in 2009 for outstanding achievements in investigative interviewing.

Professor Milne is a CREST affiliate and an invited member of the Convention Against Torture Initiative’s UN Group of Friends. She established the Centre for Forensic Interviewing, a hub for research, teaching, and training investigators at all career stages, from foundational skills to advanced techniques and masterclasses.

  • Professor Milne, the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Police Science & Management, has been in the spotlight recently for her contributions to policing science. A newly released commemorative issue explores the past, present, and future of the field while highlighting her significant influence in shaping the discipline of forensic interviewing. Read the 25th Anniversary Issue here.

  • Professor Milne’s research is focused on advancing police interviewing and investigative processes.

  • Milne, R. (2024). 25 years special edition: It’s coming home. International Journal of Police Science and Management, 26(4), 397-399. https://doi.org/10.1177/14613557241298841

    May, L., Fahsing, I., Kelly, C. E., Barela, S., Milne, R., & Bull, R. (in press). What is investigative interviewing (and what is it not)? A primer on the ethos of suspect interviewing [Special edition]. Journal of Criminal Psychology.

    Vaughan, M., Milne, R., Cherryman, J., & Dalton, G. (2024). The role of the Interview Manager (IM) in UK policing: Perceptions and experiences of the IM when deployed in high stakes crime investigations. Policing and Society, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2024.2403698

    O'Mahony, B., Milne, R., & Smith, K. (2024). The use of intermediaries (communication specialists) at Parole Board oral hearings in England and Wales. The Journal of Forensic Practice, 26(2), 129-143. https://doi.org/10.1108/jfp-04-2024-0012

    Vaughan, M., Milne, R., Dalton, G., & Vernham, Z. (in press). Supporting a vulnerable suspect through the use of Appropriate Adults in high-stakes crime investigations managed by an Interview Manager: Do they really provide a safeguard in an investigative interview? Investigative Interviewing: Research and Practice.

    May, B., Milne, R., Dalton, G., Meenaghan, A., & Shawyer, A. (2024). An exploratory study on manifesting decision-inertia in a 360-degree immersive terrorist incident. Cognition, Technology and Work, 26(3), 401-416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10111-024-00761-x

    Vaughan, M., Milne, R., Cherryman, J., & Dalton, G. (2024). Managing investigative interviews with vulnerable suspects in the UK: Do specialist Interview Managers (IM’s) understand vulnerability? Psychology, Crime & Law, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2024.2341078

    Dos Santos Zavattaro, M., Milne, R., Bull, R., & Stein, L. M. (in press). Forensic interviewing of children in Brazil: Judges' perceptions after five years of law reform. Revista Brasileira de Ciências Criminais.

    Risan, P., Skoglund, T. H., & Milne, R. (2024). The challenges of interviewing suspects displaying disruptive behaviors - An explorative study of police interviewers’ beliefs. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1080/13218719.2024.2404846

    Chenier, C. L., Shawyer, A., Williams, A., & Milne, R. (2024). Historical child sexual abuse cases reported to the police by Indigenous adults in a northern Canadian territory: An exploration of factors affecting the likelihood of charges and convictions. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2024.2331146

    Dando, C., Jones, A., Harvey, N., & Milne, R. (2024). Orochi impact formula: An evidence-based approach for quantifying the societal harm of county lines drug supply. The Police Journal, 0(0), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X241239017

    Korkman, J., Otgaar, H., Geven, L., Bull, R., Cyr, M., Hershkowitz, I., Makela, J.-M., Mattison, M., Milne, R., Santilla, P. O., van Koppen, P., Memon, A., Danby, M., Filipovic, L., Garcia, F., Gewehr, E., Jarvilehto, L., Kask, K., Korner, A., . . . Volbert, R. (2024). White paper on forensic child interviewing: Research-based recommendations by the European Association of Psychology and Law. Psychology, Crime & Law, 1-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2024.2324098