Forensic Interviewing in Child Sexual Abuse Cases: Current Techniques and Future Directions

• NCJ Number: 214273
• Journal: Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: May-June 2006 Pages: 195-207
• Author(s): Lindsay E. Cronch; Jodi L. Viljoen; David J. Hansen
• Date Published: May 2006
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reviews the common techniques used in child forensic interviews and presents new directions for the forensic interviewing of children involved in sexual abuse cases.

Abstract

The authors begin with a review of the factors thought to influence disclosure during forensic interviews with children involved in sexual abuse cases, such as child age and gender. A number of forensic interviewing techniques have been developed for use with children and are widely utilized by professionals. Six of these commonly used forensic interviewing techniques are described: (1) allegation blind interviews; (2) open-ended questions; (3) cognitive interviewing; (4) truth-lie discussion; (5) the Touch survey; and (5) anatomically detailed dolls. Research regarding the effectiveness of these techniques is reviewed before the authors present new directions in forensic child interviewing. New techniques include the use of structured interviews, extended forensic evaluations, and the child advocacy model. Structured interviews involve the use of a specific interviewing format and are recommended because of their limited training requirements and their flexible protocols. Extended forensic evaluations can be used with children who do not disclose abuse during the first interview but whose cases contain other indictors of abuse. The extended evaluation generally has five stages each designed to build rapport and trust and appears to be an effective method for the subset of children who do not disclose in the first interview. The child advocacy model was designed to protect children from further victimization by the very intervention systems set up to protect them. This model offers a child-friendly environment in which to conduct forensic interviews and involves a coordinated response by a range of professionals from different disciplines. The authors close with a listing of recommendations for child forensic interviews, including the advice to use structured interview protocols in combination with ongoing supervision and feedback. Future research should continue to assess and improve upon forensic interviewing techniques. References