Week 4 Flashcards

Question

Factors than increase susceptibility

Answer 1

Younger age Interviewer bias (demeanor, confirmation bias) Reinforcing responses Use of specific and/or misleading questions Repeated questioning Forensic props (anatomical dolls & drawings) -use end of interview, after free recall

Answer 2

Confirmation bias - gather only confirmatory evidence and ignore info that is inconsistent with original hypotheses - elicit false reports Bruck et al. -interviewed kids (3 party, 1 colored) 4th produced twice as many errors Even when denied attending party, 84% interviewers reported all 4 went to party

Answer 3

Reinforcement can lead to agreement with misleading information (mundane 35% fantastical 52%)

Answer 4

Neutral and friendly interviewer First interview with neutral interviewer tends to be most accurate

Answer 5

Free-recall/ open-ended (most likely to be accurate) Leading questions introduce info that was never previously mentioned by the child -specific (yes-no or forced choice) -misleading (contain inaccurate info) -> false reports tend to be elicited by misleading questions repeated within and across the interviews

Answer 6

Common for children to be interviewed over long delays ``` Formal interview (police, CPS, etc.) Informal interview (siblings, therapists, non offending parents, etc.) ``` Risks: - prior suggestions from previous interviews can become incorporated into later reports - demand characteristics: may feel interviewer did not like or agree with first report

Answer 7

Children younger than 3.5 have trouble using dolls as symbols of themselves (preschoolers more accurate when using own bodies than dolls) Same problems with drawing that you get from using dolls

Answer 8

Adapt interview to child's developmental level Build rapport (build relationship) Videotape interview Private environment with minimal distractions Start with free recall and open-ended questions -only use specific questions after free recall has been exhausted Give children practice telling about an event (before discussing allegation) Give example of lying vs telling the truth Clear ground rules -OK to say I don't know or don't remember -correct interviewer if say something wrong -ask for clarification is needed -tell truth Remain objective and neutral Avoid suggestive techniques Avoid reinforcement Take time for closure (debrief) -need because more distress -> worse functioning

Answer 9

Higher intelligence (better language ability) Event knowledge (if know what will happen in interview/event, will do better) Less creative and imaginative children Cultures that do not emphasize deference to adults Higher socioeconomic status (SES) Children of sensitive and responsive parents

Answer 10

Developmentally age-inappropriate techniques - legalese - -> Accuracy is higher when more simplified versions of questions are asked (for everyone) Rights of accused vs victim - right of accused to face witness - -> without, jury biased toward guilt of defendant - -> may be distressing event for child witness ``` CCTV -less believable -less accurate -less attractive -less intelligent -less confident BUT not more likely to convict or acquit ``` Heresay witness evidence admitted on behalf of child victim -less credible -jury less likely to convict defendant

Answer 11

Overturned conviction because not able to confront witness face-to-face Visual separation violated defendant's 6th amend right

Answer 12

Right to face-to-face confrontation should be evaluated on case-to-case basis