In the UK, witnesses with a mental health disorder are considered ‘vulnerable’ by the Criminal Justice System and consequently eligible for support within the Achieving Best Evidence guidance (recommendations produced in England and Wales to assist criminal justice practitioners in supporting vulnerable, intimidated and significant witnesses during the criminal justice process). However, it is unclear how the evidence and credibility of such witnesses, especially those with anxiety and depression, are perceived by criminal justice practitioners. The present study aimed to explore how practitioners in England and Wales perceive witnesses with anxiety and depression and the current guidance and training on mental health. One hundred and five practitioners including police officers (32), court staff (60) and registered intermediaries (13) completed an online questionnaire which examined their personal perceptions of, and attitudes towards, witnesses with anxiety and depression as well as the level and effectiveness of current guidance and training. Based on previous literature, it was anticipated that practitioners may hold biased perceptions of witnesses with anxiety and depression, and current guidance and training on mental health may be insufficient. The findings revealed that practitioners frequently encountered such witnesses, and prior knowledge of mental health issues influenced their perceptions with many reporting that such knowledge caused them to question the reliability of their evidence. Additionally, practitioners perceived the Achieving Best Evidence guidance including the use of special measures to be appropriate. However, they perceived that training around mental health required improvement. The implications of these findings are discussed.

在英国，有心理健康障碍的证人被刑事司法系统视为“脆弱”，因此有资格获得获得最佳证据指南（英格兰和威尔士提出的建议，以帮助刑事司法从业人员支持弱势、恐吓和重要刑事司法程序中的证人）。然而，目前尚不清楚刑事司法从业人员如何看待此类证人的证据和可信度，尤其是那些患有焦虑和抑郁症的证人。本研究旨在探讨英格兰和威尔士的从业者如何看待焦虑和抑郁的证人以及当前的心理健康指导和培训。包括警察在内的一百零五名学员（32名），法院工作人员 (60) 和注册中介 (13) 完成了一份在线问卷，调查了他们对焦虑和抑郁证人的个人看法和态度，以及当前指导和培训的水平和有效性。根据先前的文献，预计从业者可能对焦虑和抑郁的证人持有偏见，目前对心理健康的指导和培训可能不足。调查结果显示，从业者经常遇到此类证人，而先前对心理健康问题的了解影响了他们的看法，许多报告称，此类知识导致他们质疑其证据的可靠性。此外，从业者认为获得最佳证据指南包括使用特殊措施是适当的。然而，他们认为围绕心理健康的培训需要改进。讨论了这些发现的含义。