Please join The National District Attorneys Association for Best Practices in Forensic Interviewing and Working with Child Victims.
One of the most critical keys to the identification, investigation and prosecution of a child abuse case is a successful forensic interview of the child. This interview is the foundation on which the case is built and if there is no case as a result then it may serve in the prevention of child maltreatment. As we know, children’s disclosures are the strongest, if not only, pieces of evidence and are vital to identification and prosecution. The faculty members will look at the issues that confront investigators, forensic interviewers, and prosecutors when faced with a case involving a child. They will discuss techniques we can all use to improve our practices and ensure quality control and consistency across forensic interviews. Some issues that will be discussed include : models for the forensic interview of a child or adolescent which can be adapted to children of different ages and cultural backgrounds; interview techniques for interviewing children who may have experienced sexual or physical abuse or who may be a witness to violence against another person; factors influencing the interview; the presence or absence of multidisciplinary teams and child advocacy centers; the potential legal issues that arise when interviewing and preparing young people for court; factors to consider in determining whether, when, and how your victim may disclose abuse; avoiding questions that may elicit potentially erroneous responses; childhood developmental delays; working with the victim’s family; unique defenses and defense expert witnesses; building corroboration; special considerations around child pornography and trafficking. Join our experienced faculty members and learn the most effective techniques for working with young witnesses, including best practices in forensic interviews and trial preparation. CLICK HERE