NCJ Number
153320
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (January 1995) Pages: 51-61
Date Published
1995
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Because children with hearing impairments suffer a higher criminal victimization rate than children in general, this investigation compared the amount and accuracy of information contained in eyewitness accounts of deaf and hearing children.
Abstract
The study included 15 deaf and 11 hearing children between 8 and 10 years of age who individually witnessed a series of slides depicting a wallet theft. Their recall was tested using the Step- Wise Interview which consisted of a free recall component followed by increasingly directive questions. In the case of deaf children, the method of relay interpreting was employed to decrease the possibility of misinterpretation or loss of information. Accuracy scores of eyewitness accounts were based on the proportion of correct details over the total number of correct and incorrect details reported. Results indicated no main or interaction effects for the amount of information recalled, but a main effect for question type and an interaction effect were evident in the analysis of accuracy. Accuracy scores of deaf and hearing children did not differ in free recall. Deaf children, however, provided less accurate responses to directive questions, whereas the accuracy of hearing children declined only slightly. The authors conclude that deaf children are capable of recalling and reporting as much information about a witnessed event as hearing children and with similar accuracy. Deaf children, however, are substantially less accurate than hearing children when responding to questions of a progressively directive nature, indicating a higher level of suggestibility. Implications of the findings for criminal investigations are discussed. 32 references, 2 tables, and 2 figures