Goldsmiths, Portsmouth and Kulpa Partner to Improve Early Evidence Capture
Goldsmiths, University of London, the University of Portsmouth and digital evidence platform Kulpa have announced a new partnership to improve the way victim and witness evidence is captured during the earliest stages of an investigation.
The collaboration brings together decades of research in cognitive and forensic psychology with secure digital evidence technology, integrating the Self-Administered Interview (SAI) into the Kulpa platform. Developed through the research of Professor Fiona Gabbert (Goldsmiths) and Professor Lorraine Hope (University of Portsmouth), the SAI is a scientifically validated tool designed to help victims and witnesses provide more detailed and accurate accounts while memories remain fresh. Research has shown that individuals using the SAI can provide substantially more correct information than through standard reporting methods.
Memory is often one of the most important sources of evidence available to investigators, yet it is also fragile. Without appropriate support, critical details can be forgotten within hours of an event. The SAI applies established principles from cognitive psychology to guide people through a structured recall process, helping them access and record information that might otherwise be lost.
Professor Lorraine Hope, Professor of Applied Cognitive Psychology at the University of Portsmouth, said:
“The Self-Administered Interview translates decades of cognitive and forensic psychology research into a practical tool that helps people provide more detailed accounts when events are still fresh in memory.”
Professor Fiona Gabbert, Professor of Applied Psychology at Goldsmiths, University of London, added:
“Some of the most valuable evidence in an investigation exists only in a person’s memory. The earlier we can support people to report what they remember, the better the information available to investigators.”
By embedding the SAI within Kulpa’s secure evidence management platform, victims and witnesses will be able to provide detailed accounts alongside photographs, videos and other supporting material in a single digital environment. The partnership aims to strengthen evidence quality, reduce evidential challenges and support more effective investigations across a range of crime types.
Simon Franc, Founder and CEO of Kulpa, said:
“This partnership represents an important opportunity to combine leading academic research with practical technology. Our shared goal is simple: to help preserve better evidence earlier, improve outcomes for victims and support more effective investigations.”
The collaboration is particularly relevant in cases involving violence against women and girls, where preserving detailed accounts and supporting evidence at the earliest opportunity can play a vital role in improving criminal justice outcomes. More broadly, the partnership demonstrates how evidence-based research can be translated into practical tools that support victims, witnesses and investigators alike.