Best Practices for Forensic Interviews of Children in Cases of Alleged Abuse

A recent publication from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention provides guidance on forensic interviews of children in alleged abuse cases. Child Forensic Interviewing: Best Practices, a collaborative effort by professionals from forensic interview training programs, summarizes the current knowledge and application of best practices on gathering factual information from children regarding allegations of child maltreatment. This bulletin provides guidance on topics such as interview timing and setting, question type, and rapport-building between the interviewer and the victim. The bulletin can serve as a resource for law enforcement, medical, court and other child protection professionals working in this field. To read the bulletin, go to http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/248749.pdf.