ABSTRACT
Forensic interviewing is the term used to describe attempts to elicit information from witnesses for use in a legal setting. This chapter begins by reviewing the conditions under which testimony from children tends to be accurate (e.g., spontaneous telling, minimal delay between the event and the disclosure, and responses to open-ended, non-leading questions). The next portion of the chapter covers the research related to problems that are relevant to the forensic interviewing of children (e.g., suggestibility, repeated questions, the use of anatomically detailed dolls, interviewer bias, negative stereotypes, and cross-cultural concerns). The chapter then addresses recommendations for conducting good forensic interviews based on the guidance of research psychologists and government agencies. The final section of the chapter presents the research on reviews of forensic interviews that have actually been conducted. The conclusion of this chapter is that children must be interviewed carefully in order to get the most complete story and to prevent the creation of false memories.
