NCJ Number
174693
Journal
Security Journal Volume: 11 Issue: 2-3 Dated: December 1998 Pages: 303-310
Date Published
1998
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper explains issues related to interviews of possible child abuse victims and summarizes techniques that police interviewers or other interviewers should use when interviewing these children.
Abstract
The discussion emphasizes that the only evidence of child abuse is often the statements that interviewers can elicit from the victim, who may be the only witness and a reluctant witness. Paradoxically, the evidence is often discounted in court due to the potentially suggestive techniques that the interviewer uses. However, interviewers can increase their effectiveness if they understand the impact of the situation, the setting, their role, and differences in interviewing children and adults. They also need to use specific communication strategies to deal with the unique challenges of structuring the interview, developing common language, understanding and using nonverbal communication, and developing empathy. 21 references