Investigative Interviewing of Aboriginal Children in Cases of Suspected Sexual Abuse

Abstract

This study examined the investigative interviewing of Australian Aboriginal children in cases of alleged sexual abuse, with a focus on three commonly included components of interview protocols: ground rules, practice narrative, and substantive phase. Analysis of 70 field transcripts revealed that the overall delivery and practice of ground rules at the beginning of the interview was positively associated with the spontaneous usage of rules in children's narratives of abuse. When specifically examining the "don't know" rule, however, only practice had an effect of children's usage of the rule (as opposed to simple delivery or no delivery at all). Children spoke more words overall, and interviewers used more open-ended prompts during the substantive phase when the interviews contained a practice narrative. Children most often disclosed sexual abuse in response to an open-ended prompt; however, they produced the most words in response to suggestive prompts. This article concludes with a discussion of the effectiveness of ground rules, practice narratives, and questioning with Aboriginal children.

The Impact of Interviewer Working Hours on Police Interviews with Children

“…The analogy of appropriate and inappropriate approaches used by interviewers in Cyprus is in agreement with the amount of appropriate and inappropriate approaches used by interviewers in other countries such as Australia (Hamilton et al 2016), Canada (Gagnon and Cyr 2017), Estonia (Kask 2012), Finland (Korkman et al 2006), New Zealand (Wolfman et al 2016), Norway (Thoresen et al 2006) and Sweden (Cederborg et al 2000). Thus, the quality of police interviews in Cyprus is similar to those in other countries.…”

The impact of investing in the good interviewers policy of practice (IGIpop) on police interviews with children

“…Even after the introduction of interviewing manuals, most interviews in most countries have still relied on inappropriate approaches to gain information from children (e.g. Hamilton et al 2016;Wolfman, Brown & Jose, 2016). Implementing IGIpop alongside these manuals and training may help improve the quality of investigative interviews further.…”

“…Appropriate approaches are approaches which are more likely to gain reliable details . When analyzing the approaches used in interviews it has been shown that the percentage of inappropriate approaches is often higher than appropriate approaches when interviewing children in Australia (Hamilton, Brubacher & Powell, 2016), in Canada (Gagnon & Cyr, 2017), in Estonia (Kask, 2012), in Finland (e.g. Korkman, Santtila & Sandnabba, 2006), in New Zealand (e.g.…”

A Review of Literature on the Involvement of Children from Indigenous Communities in Anglo Child Welfare Systems: 1973-2018

“…The neglect-focused articles explore associated risk factors, articulate divergent perceptions and definitions of neglect, and examine implications for Indigenous children (Evans-Campbell, 2008;Nelson et al, 1996;Newton, 2017;Slee, 2001). The research focusing on sexual abuse covers topics such as the correlates of sexual abuse, divergent perceptions and experiences of disclosing sexual abuse, the ways in which both communities and legal institutions silence and marginalize victims, and a lack of appropriate services in Indigenous communities (Bailey et al, 2015;Hamilton et al, 2016;Hodgson, 1990;Smallwood, 1995;Stanley et al, 2003). A handful of articles also focus on more specific topics such as maltreatment related injury (O'Donnell et al, 2010;Pike & First Nations and Inuit Child and Youth Injury Indicators Working Group, 2011).…”