Interviewers’ and Interpreters’ Experience of Official Finnish Asylum Interviews

Abstract

Previous research on asylum interviews has focused on their investigative quality, but no study has examined how the interview participants perceive them. More knowledge from the interviewers’ and interpreters’ experience is therefore much needed. In the current study, I examined how interviewers and interpreters experience asylum interviews and how well their views and attitudes align with empirical evidence regarding investigative interviewing. I surveyed 62 interviewers that had participated in at least five official Finnish asylum interviews during the past year, and 63 interpreters that had participated in at least three official Finnish asylum interviews during the past year. The survey focused on 1) preparation, 2) interview dynamics and rapport, 3) questions and answers, 4) interpretation, and 5) general experience, challenges, and improvements. The interviewers’ and interpreters’ views generally aligned with evidence-based guidelines for interviewing. Compared to interviewers, fewer interpreters were familiar with the guidelines. Both groups held mixed attitudes towards their work but were satisfied with how the asylum interviews were currently conducted in Finland. Whereas the interviewers reported challenges such as lack of time, the interpreters reported challenges such as lack of information in advance, and both groups agreed that the psychological strain was a central challenge. The current situation presents some risks to interview quality that should be mitigated to guarantee the rights of asylum seekers.