Planning the Forensic Interview

Abstract

This chapter is divided into three main sections. In the first section, we address the issue of interviewer bias and whether interviewers should gather child and case-specific knowledge versus conducting "blind" interviews. In the second section, we discuss the importance of taking a hypothesis-testing approach to forensic interviews. In the third section, we provide specific recommendations for preparing for the interview, including the importance of video recording and what type of case information to gather before the interview. In the conclusion, we return to evaluate the above case in light of the recommendations and the scientific evidence pertaining to interview preparation. Currently, there is disagreement among researchers and professionals concerning the scope of information the interviewer should gather before conducting the forensic interview. More research is needed to clearly understand the potential costs and benefits that preinterview knowledge exerts on the reliability of children's forensic reports. Research findings regarding interviewer bias are reviewed next as a means to understand the potential harm that inaccurate preinterview knowledge can inflict on the investigation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)