Professor Ray Bull

Professor Ray Bull is a psychologist specializing in investigative interviewing and forensic psychology. His career has been marked by significant contributions to the application of psychological principles in legal and investigative contexts. In 2022, he was recognized as a "Distinguished Member" of the American Psychology-Law Society for his exceptional contributions to psychology and law.

In 2021, Professor Bull was appointed as the first ‘International Ambassador’ for the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group (iIIRG), reflecting his global influence in advancing ethical and effective interviewing practices. A year earlier, he collaborated with Hedayah: Countering Violent Extremism to develop a comprehensive manual on communication strategies for countering violent extremism.

Professor Bull has held leadership positions in key professional organizations. He served as President of the European Association of Psychology and Law from 2014 to 2017 and as Immediate Past President from 2017 to 2020.

Over the course of his career, he has received numerous accolades, including the first “Honorary Lifetime Membership” of iIIRG in 2012 and the British Psychological Society’s Honorary Fellowship in 2010. He has also been recognized with a Lifetime Contribution Award from the European Association of Psychology and Law and a Distinguished Contribution to Forensic Psychology Award from the British Psychological Society. In 2005, the London Metropolitan Police commended him for his innovative support in a complex investigation.

Professor Bull’s work continues to influence the fields of psychology and law, fostering advancements in evidence-based practices and ethical standards in investigative settings. His research and teaching have had a lasting impact on how psychological knowledge is applied to real-world challenges.

  • Professor Bull is recently announced the upcoming second edition of Investigative Interviewing: Psychology and Practice, co-authored with Rebecca Milne, set for release in November 2025. This revised edition highlights practical guidance on forensic interviewing techniques and their application in real-world contexts. Explore further details here.

  • Professor Bulls research is focused on advancing police interviewing and investigative processes.

  • Walsh, D., Areh, I., Barela, S., Boukalav, H., Bull, R., Chung, L. K., Cusack, A., Daly, Y., Djelkic, I., Fahsing, I., Fazlic, A., Haworth, K., Heydon, G., Holewik, K., Ivanovic, Z., Izotovas, A., Kask, K., Kelly, C. E., Kvanvig, G., . . . Vanderhallen, M. (2025). A co-ordinated global initiative to enhance interview practice. Investigative Interviewing: Research and Practice. 15(1). https://iiirg.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IIRP_20250303_Walsh_Final-1.pdf

    May, B., Milne, R., & Bull, R. (2025). Applying cognitive psychology to crime investigation. In D. Groome. (Ed.), An Introduction to Applied Cognitive Psychology.

    Luknar, I., Bull, R., & Stanojevic, P. (2023). Improving the preparation of the investigative interviewing of suspects: A multi-disciplinary perspective.  Sociological Review, 17, 1235–1256

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

    Bull, R. (In press). Is the interrogating/interviewing of crime perpetrators no longer suspect? A personal commentary on 25 years of progress. International Journal of Police Science and Management

    Chung, K., Wong, Y., Kamaluddin, M., & Bull, R. (2023). Investigative interviewing with suspects: Exploring current practices among Malaysian police. International Journal of Police Science & Management.  https://doi.org/10.1177/14613557231205785

    Waterhouse, G., Ridley, A., Bull, R., Satchell, l., & Wilcock, R. (2023). Rapport-building in multiple interviews of children. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 37, 1210-1222. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.4116

    Gajadhar, S., & Bull, R. (In press). The ‘non-stranger rapist-oriented interview for complainants’: Eliciting high-quality accounts. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032258X231184980

    Baker-Eck, B., & Bull, R. (2023). How do German police officers of varying empathy levels react to different styles of interviewing a suspected sex offender? International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, 74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2023.100610

    Tasić, M., Žarković, M., & Bull, R. (2023). Identification of persons in pre-investigation proceedings and investigation: Current controversies and the case law of the Supreme Court of Cassation. NBP-Journal of Criminalistics and Law, 27(3). https://doi.org/10.5937/nabepo27-40520

    van Beek, M., & Bull, R. (2023). Strategic interviewing in practice: introducing a Dutch framework for interviews with suspects. Investigative Interviewing: Research and Practice, 13(1), 95-110. https://iiirg.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/iII-RP-Journal-Volume13_2023.pdf#page=94

    Walsh, D. & Bull, R. (2023). From interrogation to investigative interviewing of suspects in custody. In Y. Daly (Ed.) Police custody in Ireland. Routledge.

    Wang, X., Hongwei, Z., & Bull, R. (2023). Understanding perceived legitimacy of correctional officers among male juvenile offenders in China from a system perspective. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlcj.2023.100596

    Bull, R. (2023). Improving the interviewing of suspects using the PEACE model: A comprehensive overview.  Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice,65, 80-91. https://doi.org/10.3138/cjccj.2023-0003

    Baker-Eck, B., & Bull, R. (2022). Effects of empathy and question types on suspects’ provision of information in investigative interviews. International Journal of Police Science and Management.

    Tudor-Owen, J., van Golde, C., Bull, R., & Gee, D. (Eds.) (2022). Interviewing vulnerable suspects: Safeguarding the process. Routledge.

    Launay, C., Brunel, M., & Bull, R. (In press). What do police interview eyewitnesses for? A review. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice.

    Van Beek, M., Bull, R., & Chen, M.  (2021). When the evidence is incorrect: An exploration of what happens when interviewers unwittingly present inaccurate information in interviews with suspects.  Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, 36, 769-782. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-021-09494-3

    Spenser, K., Bull, R., Betts, L., & Winder, B. (In press). Gender differences in theory of mind, empathic understanding, and moral reasoning. Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology.

    Leahy-Harland, S., & Bull, R. (2021). The impact of context on real-life serious crime interviews with suspects. Police Practice and Research, 22, 1009-1026.

    Spenser, K., Bull, R., Betts, L., & Winder, B. (In press). Underpinning pro-sociality: Age-related performance in theory of mind, empathic understanding, and moral reasoning. Cognitive Development.

    Huang, C. -Y., & Bull, R. (2021). Applying hierarchy of expert performance (HEP) to investigative interview evaluation: Strengths, challenges, and future directions. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.

    Sandham, A., Dando, C., Bull, R., & Ormerod, T. (2021). Improving professional observers’ veracity judgements by tactical interviewing. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology.

    Baker-Eck, B., Bull, R., & Walsh, D. (2021). Investigative empathy: Five types of cognitive empathy in a field study of investigative interviews with suspects of sexual offences. Investigative Interviewing: Research and Practice.

    Zeng, F., Huang, C. -Y., & Bull, R. (2021). Police interviews of suspects in China: Developments and analyses. International Journal of Police Science and Management.

    Milne, R., Shawyer, A., Dalton, G., May, B., Nunan, J., & Bull, R. (2021). Research-based practice: Communication at the front-line. In L. R. Shapiro, & M-H. Maras (Eds.), Encyclopedia of security and emergency management. Springer.

    Bull, R., & Baker, B. (2020). Obtaining from suspects valid discourse ‘PEACE’-fully: What role for rapport and empathy? In M. Mason & F. Rock (Eds.) The discourse of police interviews. University of Chicago Press.

    Baker-Eck, B., Bull, R., & Walsh, D. (In press). Investigative empathy: A strength scale of empathy based on European police perspectives. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law.

    Waterhouse, G., Ridley, A., Bull, R., & Wilcock, R. (2020). A study space analysis for multiple interviews of child witnesses. Child Abuse Review, 29, 544-558.

    Waterhouse, G., Ridley, A., Bull, R., & Wilcock, R. (2020). Mock-juror reactions to multiple interview presentations and rapport-building. Psychology, Crime and Law, 26, 186-205.

    Denault, V., Plusquellec, P., Jupe, L. M., St-Yves, M., Dunbar, N. E., Hartwig, M., Sporer, S. L., Rioux-Turcotte, J., Jarry, J., Walsh, D., Otgaar, H., Viziteu, A., Talwar, V., Keatley, D. A., Blandon-Gitlin, I., Townson, C., Deslauriers-Varin, N., Lilienfeld, S. O., … Bull, R., … van Koppen, P. J. (2020). The analysis of nonverbal communication: The dangers of pseudoscience in security and justice contexts. Anuario de Psicología Jurídica, 30, 1-12. https://hdl.handle.net/11343/251979

    Bull, R. (2019). Roar or PEACE: Is it a tall story? In R. Bull & I. Blandon-Gitlin (Eds.), Routledge International handbook of legal and investigative psychology. Routledge.

    Bull, R. (2019). Credible accounts: What they are and how to obtain them. Linguistics and the Human Sciences, 12, 166-176.

    Bull, R., & Griffiths, A. (2019). Advocating the ‘PEACE’ method: Will it make people cross? In P. Cooper & L. Hunting (Eds.), Access to justice for vulnerable people. Wildy.

    Bull, R., Paulo, R., & Albuquerque, P. (2019). The impact of the cognitive interview in the UK and recent research in Portugal. In J. Dickinson, N. Compo, R. Carol, M. McCauley, & B. Schwartz (Eds.), Evidence-Based Investigative Interviewing: Applying Cognitive Principles. Routledge.

    Bull, R., & Rachlew, A. (2019). Investigative interviewing: From England to Norway and beyond. In S. Barela, M. Fallon, G. Gaggioli, & J. Ohlin (Eds.), Interrogation and Torture: Research on Efficacy, and Its Integration with Morality and Legality. Oxford University Press.

    Bull, R., van der Burgh, M., & Dando, C. (2019). Verbal cues fostering perceptions of credibility and truth/lie detection. In T. Docan-Morgan (Ed.), The Palgrave Handbook of Deceptive Communication. Palgrave.

    Cleary, H., & Bull, R. (2019). Jail inmates’ perspectives on police interrogation. Psychology, Crime and Law, 25, 157-170.