A Comprehensive Literature Review of Forensic Interviewers' Protocols

Sexual assault is an unparalleled trauma intensified by age. Children who are victims of this attack are often shook by the memories of the event(s). However, children’s testimonies are critical to building cases against perpetrators in the court of law. Specialists, called forensic interviewers, are extensively trained on how to elicit information from a child without inflicting undue harm. Although these forensic interviewers are highly trained, the methods they utilize vary significantly. A systematic review of the protocols reveals many of the methods utilized positive techniques such as open-ended questions, providing resources outside of the interview, and conformed to a coherent questioning strategy. Unfortunately, some included inappropriate use of anatomical dolls, leading questions, and are not tailored to younger children. This poster illustrates the different protocols utilized when interviewing a child that has sustained sexual abuse. Now that the effects of various interviewing methods have been recorded and assessed, children would be best served through a unified forensic interview protocol that keeps the successful techniques and rejects the harmful.Ope