大象传媒

Michael Rosen has just 24 minutes to crack the case of the police interview. His hard-bitten squad of investigators includes top crime authors Peter James and John Harvey and the writer of ITV's 'Scott and Bailey', Sally Wainwright .

Until the 1980s the police had no formal training in interviewing techniques. When a suspect entered the interrogation room he could have faced a barrage of foul language, veiled threats and downright lies. There was usually no solicitor present and no recordings of the interview. A successful interrogation was one where the suspect 'coughed', admitting to the crime as quickly as possible.

Today things are considerably more restrained. The word 'interrogation' has been banned in England and Wales. Every 'investigative interview' is captured electronically and every policeman gets training in the latest psychological techniques to draw out suspect and witness testimony. The changes might be good for justice but they're a nightmare for novelists and dramatists.

Without the threats, the bullying and the violence what's left for the crime writer who enjoys the language of villains and crimefighters under extreme pressure? Michael talks to best-selling novelists Peter James and John Harvey and TV writer Sally Wainwright about the delicate path they tread between the dull reality of police official language and the tempting darklands of their violent imaginations.

Producer: Alasdair Cross.