Depending on the circumstances, many child-abuse investigations begin with a forensic interview of the child. The forensic interview is just one piece of an investigation, and often it provides direction for other components of a comprehensive child abuse investigation (i.e., witness interviews, crime scene evidence, medical evidence, and suspect interview) when progressing forward (Newlin, Steele, Chamberlin, Anderson, Kenniston, Russell, Stewart, Vaughan-Eden, 2015). Newlin and colleagues (2015, p. 3) define a forensic interview of a child as, “…a developmentally sensitive and legally sound method of gathering factual information regarding allegations of abuse or exposure to violence. This interview is conducted by a competently trained,
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These factors are unique to each child, such that no two child-victims will ever communicate their experiences in the same way or with the same level of detail and clarity (Wiley, 2009). Nonetheless, there are several factors that should be considered before and during a forensic interview on a child. First, all forensic interviewing models agree that the age and developmental abilities of a child should be considered. Forensic interviews are difficult for children because they involve very different conversational patterns and demands for detail that children are not used to (Lamb and Brown, 2006). A child’s age and development affect their perception of an experience and the amount of information they can store in long-term memory (Pipe and Salmon, 2002). Infants and toddlers can recall experiences, but are unable to describe these experiences verbally (Eacott, 1999). Similarly, it is challenging for young children to focus their attention and to search their memory effectively when being interviewed; remembering an event does not guarantee that the child will be able to describe it to others (Newlin, et al., 2015). Forensic interviewers are warned that young children may attempt to use words before they fully understand their meaning. For example, young children may use concepts such as “tomorrow,” or “a long time” in an incorrect
These factors are unique to each child, such that no two child-victims will ever communicate their experiences in the same way or with the same level of detail and clarity (Wiley, 2009). Nonetheless, there are several factors that should be considered before and during a forensic interview on a child. First, all forensic interviewing models agree that the age and developmental abilities of a child should be considered. Forensic interviews are difficult for children because they involve very different conversational patterns and demands for detail that children are not used to (Lamb and Brown, 2006). A child’s age and development affect their perception of an experience and the amount of information they can store in long-term memory (Pipe and Salmon, 2002). Infants and toddlers can recall experiences, but are unable to describe these experiences verbally (Eacott, 1999). Similarly, it is challenging for young children to focus their attention and to search their memory effectively when being interviewed; remembering an event does not guarantee that the child will be able to describe it to others (Newlin, et al., 2015). Forensic interviewers are warned that young children may attempt to use words before they fully understand their meaning. For example, young children may use concepts such as “tomorrow,” or “a long time” in an incorrect