Do Prosecutors Use Interview Instructions or Build Rapport with Child Witnesses?
Date
2015
Journal Title
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Publisher
Behavioral sciences & the law
Abstract
This study examined the quality of interview instructions and rapport-building provided by
prosecutors to 168 children aged 5–12 years testifying in child sexual abuse cases, preceding
explicit questions about abuse allegations. Prosecutors failed to effectively administer key
interview instructions, build rapport, or rely on open-ended narrative producing prompts during
this early stage of questioning. Moreover, prosecutors often directed children's attention to the
defendant early in the testimony. The productivity of different types of wh- questions varied, with
what/how questions focusing on actions being particularly productive. The lack of instructions,
poor quality rapport-building, and closed-ended questioning suggest that children may not be
adequately prepared during trial to provide lengthy and reliable reports to their full ability.
Description
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Article
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Keywords
child witness, rapport, prosecution, interview
Citation
Ahern, E. C., Stolzenberg, S. N., & Lyon, T. D. (2015). Do Prosecutors Use Interview Instructions or Build Rapport with Child Witnesses?. Behavioral sciences & the law, 33(4), 476-492.