Tele-forensic interviewing to elicit children’s evidence—Benefits, risks, and practical considerations.

Abstract

Tele-forensic interviewing (tele-FI; e.g., via video-conferencing software) may be an effective way of increasing the accessibility of skilled interviewers for children who are questioned as part of a criminal or care and protection investigation. The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how critical it is that we have evidence-based procedures to draw upon when traditional face-to-face interviews cannot be employed. In this paper we discuss the benefits and risks associated with tele-FI, review the small number of studies that have examined its effectiveness for eliciting memory reports from adults and children, and discuss practical considerations that should inform planning for an interview. Tele-FI appears a promising avenue for creating resiliency within organisations, and overcoming factors that might otherwise undermine the reliability of children's evidence. Available research indicates children's memory reports elicited in tele-FIs are likely to be as good or better than those from face-to-face interviews, but a more comprehensive evidence-base is needed.Interviewers should be aware of how using this approach may influence their questioning strategies and engagement with children.

Tele-forensic interviewing can be a reasonable alternative to face-to-face interviewing of child witnesses.

“…Even though past results did not identify consistent patterns of differences across interview modes (see also Brown et al, 2021), four study limitations make it premature to conclude that face-to-face and tele-forensic interviews are equally effective. First, in most studies the children provided testimony shortly after target events, when strong memory traces could have masked condition differences.…”

“…Although previous studies found minimal differences between face-to-face and tele-forensic interview modes (Brown et al, 2021), the interviewing community expressed concern during the COVID-19 pandemic that screen conversations might make it difficult to build rapport with child witnesses (National Children's Alliance, personal communication, March 20, 2020). The current study, which had a larger sample of young children than earlier reports, replicated previous findings in some ways while also validating interviewers' concerns.…”

The impact of COVID-19 on Canadian child maltreatment workers

“… Dickinson et al’s (2021) experimental comparison of face-to-face and tele-forensic interviewing did not find differences between interviewing delivery methods and accuracy of children’s disclosed responses. However, others have highlighted some of the risks (i.e., technology issues, rapport building limitations) as well as benefits of tele-forensic interviewing (i.e., recording of interviews, access to remote locations) ( Brown et al, 2021 ). Moreover, respondents highlighted several concerns regarding the use of tele-forensic interviewing, such as potential security and legal barriers to the admissibility of tele-forensic interviews conducted (i.e., assurances of no coaching by adults in the room).…”

The cognitive interview: comparing face-to-face and video-mediated interviews

“…Because of the current pandemic and other factors (e.g. eyewitnesses living in remote locations, limited space to interview multiple eyewitnesses; Brown et al , 2021), the traditional face-to-face interview might sometimes be difficult to perform soon after the event. Thus, it might be important to use other methods (e.g.…”

“…Virtual interviews could be conducted without requiring the physical presence of the eyewitness, circumventing such problems. However, there are possible limitations that can hinder the use of virtual interviews (Brown et al , 2021). For example, the implementation of social and communicative techniques (e.g.…”