What is it.
Forensic interviewing is a process in which a trained interviewer gathers information from a victim, witness, or person of interest in relation to a crime. The goal is to collect sufficient information and evidence for a successful prosecution while simultaneously protecting the child and/or youth’s psychological and emotional safety by avoiding re-traumatization. This review examines several commonly used forensic interviewing methods for vulnerable victims.
This review provides an overview of the best practices when conducting a child forensic interview.
How can it help me?
After experiencing a traumatic event, children and/or youth may undergo neurological changes that affect memory, recall, and behaviour. Therefore, interviewers must take extra care when working with children and youth and consider their age and developmental capabilities. While CYACs have established National Guidelines for forensic interviewing of child victims, there are currently no national standards for child forensic interviewing. Available evidence suggests using rapport-building techniques, free-narrative methods, asking open-ended, non-leading questions, and allowing sensory-based, non-chronological answers.
Three of the most used protocols for conducting a child forensic interview include: child cognitive interview, step-wise interview, and narrative elaboration interview.
While these protocols may vary slightly in their approach, they all share three significant phases.
- Rapport building phase, where the establishes a trusting relationship with the victim by explaining what the interview will involve,
- Substantive phase where the interviewer asks open-ended questions to gather information about the event from the child, and
- Closure phase occurs when the interviewer determines that no further information can be collected, and the interview concludes.
The continued development and evaluation of forensic interview protocols will improve the efficiency of interviews, increase the amount of information gathered, and ensure that victims are able to communicate their traumatic experiences in a safe and neutral setting.
