Conceptualising and identifying vulnerability and interpreting the appropriate adult safeguard

虽然适当成年人（AA）的作用，首先通过《警察和证物法》通过其行为准则（内政部，1984年；Nemitz和Bean， 2001年）引入，是我们刑事司法系统（CJS）中的一个重要机制，但数十年的研究强调了这一作用被严重误解，使得英格兰和威尔士的实施不一致（Jessiman和Cameron， 2017年）。通过心理学和法律话语对AA功能进行了研究，人们一致认为，弱势成年人，即18岁以上被认定为弱势的被拘留者，由于误解PACE，误解脆弱性，从而错过了对弱势群体的发现，使他们没有AA保障，从而持续处于弱势地位（Nemitz和Bean， 2001）。通过使用混合方法，这项研究将比现有的文献走得更远，这些文献的范围和实际应用可能受到限制，过去的AA研究过于关注检查保管记录或审查访谈磁带，这可能是由于更容易获得。然而，至关重要的是要更清楚地了解AA的作用及其对弱势嫌疑人的影响，并采用定量和定性研究来实现这一点。目前，我正在完成我的法医心理学硕士学位，我的论文选题是助理律师，我目前正在研究脆弱性的感知，以及警察和助理律师在支持弱势嫌疑人羁押中的干预。我的硕士研究采用混合方法，使用定量调查，包括小片段，半结构化定性访谈，通过反身性归纳主题分析进行分析，进一步探索对脆弱性的看法，以及它们如何影响官员和AA在拘留时做出的决定，对弱势嫌疑人有利或不利。对于提议的研究和博士学位的机会，我的目标是以类似的方式构建定量研究，通过使用Qualtrics (www.qualtrics.com)，因为它允许完全定制调查，如何向参与者显示问题，以及易于将数据导出到SPSS，进行数据清理和分析，包括相关的参数和非参数测试以及对新建调查的信度和效度的测试。使用质量调查也非常有益，因为调查很容易传播。我现在和以前都采用了远程采访参与者的方法，比如在微软团队中，或者通过电话，因为我发现这对我的参与者来说是一种普遍有利的方法，他们的工作要求很高，因为他们是AA或警察，类似的方法也可能对当前的研究有益。在本研究中使用建构主义扎根理论，允许传播研究的读者充分欣赏数据被查看和分析的镜头，访谈和数据的意义将在我和参与者之间共同创造（Mills， Bonner和Francis， 2006）。在这个项目完成后，我希望对全国范围内的监管人员、助理律师和其他关键利益相关者的脆弱性提供一个最新的理解。根据这项研究的结果，可能需要进行政策改革，以便通过修订PACE和目前的脆弱性阈值测试，就如何评估羁押中的脆弱性提供更清晰、更容易理解的指导。我渴望将调查结果传播给所有警察部队和AA计划，重新参与关于脆弱性的对话，并确保那些需要帮助的人总是能够获得AA的帮助。

Although the role of the Appropriate Adult (AA), first introduced via the Police and Evidence Act through its Codes of practice (Home Office, 1984; Nemitz and Bean, 2001), is an essential mechanism within our Criminal Justice System (CJS), decades of research highlight the role is critically misunderstood, making implementation inconsistent through England and Wales (Jessiman and Cameron, 2017). The AA function has been investigated through psychology and law discourse, with a consensus that vulnerable adults, those identified as vulnerable in custody over the age of 18, are continuously disadvantaged as a result of misinterpreting PACE, misunderstanding vulnerability and thus missing the detection of vulnerable persons, leaving them with no AA safeguard (Nemitz and Bean, 2001).Through use of mixed methods, the study will go further than existing literature which can be limited in their scope and real-world application, past AA research being too concerned with the inspection of custody records or reviewing the interview tapes, perhaps due to easier access. However, it is crucial to gain a clearer picture of the AA role and its implication for vulnerable suspects and employing both quantitative and qualitative research allows for this. Currently, I am finishing my Master's degree in Forensic Psychology, my dissertation subject of choice being AAs, I am currently researching the perceptions of vulnerability, and interventions made by Police Officers and AAs in supporting vulnerable suspects at custody. My Masters research employs a mixed methods approach, using quantitative surveys, including vignettes, and semi structured qualitative interviews analysed through reflexive inductive thematic analysis, exploring further the perceptions of vulnerability and how they may influence the decisions officers and AA's make at custody to the advantage, or disadvantage of the vulnerable suspect.For the proposed study and PHD opportunity, I would aim to construct the quantitative research in a similar way, through use of Qualtrics (www.qualtrics.com) as it allows for full customisation of the survey, how the questions are displayed to participants, and for its ease of exporting the data into SPSS, for data cleaning and analysis, including relevant parametric and nonparametric tests and tests of reliability and validity on the newly built survey. Using Qualtrics is also highly beneficial in that the survey is easy to disseminate. I have currently, and previously, employed remote methods of interviewing participants, such as on Microsoft teams, or via telephone, as I have found this a generally favourable approach for my participants, who have a demanding job through their AA or Police officer duties, and similar approaches may be beneficial for the current study too. Using Constructionist Grounded Theory in this study, allow the reader of the disseminated research to fully appreciate the lens in which data was viewed, and analysed, and meaning of the interviews and data will be cocreated between myself and participants (Mills, Bonner and Francis, 2006).On completion of this project, I would hope to provide an updated understanding to vulnerability to custody officers, AAs, and other key stakeholders nationwide. Based on the results of the study there will likely be a need for policy reform, allowing for a clearer, more digestible guidance on how to assess vulnerability at custody through amendments to PACE and the current vulnerability threshold test. I would aspire to disseminate findings to all police forces and AA schemes, to reengage in the conversation about vulnerability, and making sure those who need it, always have access to an AA.