Trauma may explain why a robbery victim states that the gun he was robbed with was three feet wide, or why a sexual assault victim is unable to recall what a suspect was wearing or where the assault occurred.
The effect of traumatic events on a victim’s ability to accurately recall and relay that information to law enforcement varies widely from victim to victim. The current practices of law enforcement regarding interviews of victims and witnesses is based on many early 20th century practices.
The one thing police do more than almost anything is interview people. Standard police training has consolidated the functions of interviewing and interrogation. This is problematic because interrogation techniques can sometimes increase re-victimization and cause further trauma to victims. To minimize re-victimization, the same guidelines used in officer-involved critical incidents should be integrated into interviewing victims of trauma so that the best information can be obtained.
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The standard interview practice has been to obtain the who, what, when, where and why of an incident. The collection of that information is often obtained in the form of what is called “Just the Facts ma’am, ” to paraphrase Jack Webb as Detective Sgt. Joe Friday on the 1960s television show “Dragnet.”
The understanding needed in law enforcement or any endeavor requires more than just the facts. Criminal intent is often part of the criminal charge as well as the mental state of the victim – the person in fear of threat or harm. The acceptance of the standard/traditional methods of interviewing provides some information, but standard practices may not be effective in obtaining sufficient information from crime victims. The merging of interviews into one topic of interview and interrogation is, in my opinion, one of the main problems in effective law enforcement interviews.
The law enforcement community has known for some time that the interviewing of victims/witnesses of traumatic events required a different approach. The Cognitive Interview (CI) was developed to understand better retrieval of information instead of just how memory is stored.
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The use of CI with children was shown to have provided greater recall accuracy evidenced by the obtainment of 21 percent more correct information than standard interview practices, according to an article by Amina Memon and Ray Bull, “The cognitive interview: Its origins, empirical support, evaluation and practical implications.”
The experience of sights, sounds and environmental factors can allow for greater recall in children and adults. The experience of child abuse investigators showed that once they were trained in techniques, the victim interviews were of such quality that there was a marked increase in guilty pleas.
These methods for trauma-informed interviewing had results that showed CI for adults could be more effective in providing detailed information to investigators. The information provided by these interview methods can be valuable to not just criminal investigations, but also anyone who needs a more comprehensive picture of a situation. Many officers/investigators have intuitively known this for many years and have widened the scope of their investigative questions.
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The need to have more consistent and effective interviewing techniques has given rise to a focus on the use of cognitive interviewing techniques. The reality is that CI may take longer than standard interviews. With all the time-consuming aspects of modern investigation, including travel and locating witnesses, an additional 20 minutes is worth the time and cost for a more-effective interview.
The CI model has been used by specialty crime units for some time but has not filtered out to first-line responders. Law enforcement needs to embrace the use of trauma-informed practices that many child wellness partners have used for years. The incorporation of people’s trauma as part of the interview process will enhance investigative abilities.
The truth of any investigation is the need to conduct quality investigative interviews as soon as possible after a criminal event. It is not beneficial to have victims who have suffered extreme trauma express thoughts and feelings relatively close to the event. However, it is important to understand that, like other professions, law enforcement should not cause more harm to victims or witnesses that have already experienced a traumatic event. The majority of people have never had any interaction with law enforcement, nor have they been interviewed by them. Most people only know what they have seen in movies or TV.
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How we treat people who have been exposed to trauma will yield better outcomes when we use methods that show officers as less threatening and supportive. Acknowledging and understanding that trauma has an impact on victims can lessen the stress of an investigation.
Victim Centered Interview Training for Sexual Assault Investigators will be taught in Richmond Nov. 11-15, in northern Kentucky Oct. 28-Nov. 1 and in Louisville Dec. 9-13.As a result of the United States’ Zero Tolerance Policy, thousands of children were separated from their caregivers and detained in substandard conditions upon arriving to seek asylum in the US. Forced separation from a primary caregiver, at any age, is considered a major trauma with lasting negative health effects for children and their families.
Through the generosity of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, experts in trauma-informed care from the Stanford Center for Health Education and the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) were given the opportunity to support the work of immigration attorneys who visit with and hear directly from these children. Below is the toolkit we created.
Trauma Informed Reporting
Hundreds of lawyers and physicians have volunteered their services to the victims of family separation but the resources available to support these professionals are scarce and often inaccessible to busy professionals in need of practical advice and emotional support.
Through a series of short video interviews with lawyers and physicians who have years of experience working with separated families, we are creating a compact “toolkit” to offer these professionals efficiently delivered, just-in-time support that will leave them with the strategies and coping skills they need to do this heroic humanitarian work.
The toolkit is openly available below for lawyers and physicians who may be considering volunteer work of this nature. It will also be disseminated through multiple professional and charitable organizations working with these professional volunteers.
Trauma Informed Systems
We are committed to understanding the effectiveness of all our health education interventions. We will collect survey feedback and conduct in-depth focus group sessions with learners to examine how our trauma-informed training content can better prepare those on the front lines working to protect vulnerable children.
This project was made possible through a collaboration between faculty at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine, Stanford University and highly experienced attorneys practicing in this field. We have relied heavily on the guidance of these faculty and professionals, many of whom have traveled to border towns to take part in this effort: Marsha Griffin MD, Paul Wise MD, MPH, Ryan Matlow PhD, Hope Frye ESQ, Nancy Ewen Wang MD, Victor Carrion MD, Fernando Mendoza, MD, MPH, Jodi Goodwin ESQ, Lisa Chamberlain MD and others.
This toolkit consists of a 30 minute video series, a written guide, a set of reflection questions, and links to further resources. These materials will provide introductory information to assist with the child interview process. The recommendations are guided by best practices for working with children with histories of trauma exposure, and they can be adapted to support interactions with children in a range of contexts.
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A primary goal while conducting interviews with immigrant children is to avoid re-traumatizating children. Even in a short interview, a trauma-informed approach is crucial to safeguarding a child’s health. Using these strategies will help interviewers gather accurate information, while avoiding additional trauma for both the child and the interviewer. We strongly recommend that interviewers obtain further training from a mental health professional with experience in trauma and development.
This video content is based on two fundamental observations: First, that using a trauma-sensitive approach will help you do your job better by making it more likely that children will share their stories with you. Second, using this approach will help ensure that you don’t do damage—it will make it less likely that the interview itself will exacerbate the traumatic impact of the experiences that these children have had.
While conducting immigration-related interviews, it’s crucial to take measures to avoid re-traumatizing children and youth who have been through difficult experiences. Here are some tips and techniques to help interviewers set the stage for a trauma-informed interaction. Your creativity in using the strategies and approaches in this video can make a huge difference, even in a short interaction with a child.
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For more information on interviewing children and youth exposed to trauma, see our guide below and explore the following links from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN):
The trauma of forced family separation can have lasting effects on a young child, ranging from overwhelming emotions to developmental regression. It’s likely these children will need your support navigating the interview process.
Adolescents passing through the US immigration system exhibit incredible strength and resilience, but they also face multiple challenges—many have fled violence and threats to their lives to face indefinite detention in the US. Without support, these experiences can severely compromise their mental health.
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