ABSTRACT
What can we reasonably expect child witnesses to remember about their experiences, personal or witnessed, over time, and how does this change with age? Although it is not the only determinant, the ability to remember events is a prerequisite if children are to provide useful testimony. In this chapter, we focus on developmental changes in children’s ability to provide accurate verbal accounts of their experiences and on forensically relevant factors that affect event memory. We begin by outlining developmental changes in children’s event memory, the effects of the nature of the event and children’s understanding of it, and the special problems posed when children must recall repeated experiences in forensic contexts. We then discuss how memories change over time, the forensic implications of such changes, and the role of the supportiveness of the interview situation, the type of questions, and other interview techniques used to elicit details from children. In the final section, we briefly consider individual differences in cognitive and emotional development that influence children’s recall.
