Anita Fumagalli

Despite scientific support for the use of the Concealed Information Test (CIT), the test is currently rarely employed, due to the lack of demonstration for its applicability within real forensic contexts. Previous literature on deception exclusively focused on solo offenders. Therefore, there is a need to expand the research and develop new technologies for the prevention of groups of criminals as well. The purpose of this study was to examine whether crime-related information and intentions to commit a crime could be detected from a group of mock suspects. A combination of SCR (Skin Conductance Response) scores, RLLs (Respiration Line Length) and heart rate was used for the analysis. The results showed that the CIT was able to detect crime-related information from the mock suspects with a significant difference from the control group. The combination of a group setting and the application of visual stimulation to detect criminal intentions can be considered as an innovative addition to the standard setting of CIT examinations. This analysis suggested that the CIT can be effective as a preventative tool for groups of criminals. With the benefit of future research, the CIT could support police investigations by detecting criminal information, prioritising and identifying potential suspects involved in solo or group criminal activities.