The benefits of multiple recollection strategies on adolescents’ testimonies: quality versus within-statement consistency?
| Published date | 09 May 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-01-2015-0007 |
| Date | 09 May 2016 |
| Pages | 118-130 |
| Author | Sanne van Can,Olivier Dodier,Henry Otgaar,Fanny Verkampt |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice |
The benefits of multiple recollection
strategies on adolescents’testimonies:
quality versus within-statement
consistency?
Sanne van Can, Olivier Dodier, Henry Otgaar and Fanny Verkampt
Sanne van Can is Legal
Psychologist at the Department
of Psychology, Maastricht
University, Maastricht,
The Netherlands.
Olivier Dodier is PhD Student at
the Department of Psychology,
University of Blaise Pascal,
Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Henry Otgaar is based at
Department of Forensic
Psychology, Clinical
Psychological Section,
Maastricht University,
Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Fanny Verkampt is Assistant
Professor at the Department
of Psychology, University of
Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine the beneficial effect of a modified cognitive interview (MCI)
on adolescents’testimonies in case of a negative emotional event. Furthermore, the authors were interested
in assessing the impact of a MCI on within-statement consistency.
Design/methodology/approach –In total, 37 adolescents (12-15 years) watched a emotionally negative
video and were interviewed, seven days later, with a MCI or a structured (control) interview (SI).
Findings –Results showed that adolescents interviewed with the MCI reported significantly more correct
and tended to report more incorrect information than those interviewed with the SI. Nonetheless, this rise in
incorrect details did not impair the accuracy of statements gathered with the MCI (vs SI). Moreover,
consistent, reminiscent, and forgotten information within a statement was positively linked to overall
accuracy. In conclusion, testimonies gathered with the MCI might be perceived as more complete and
detailed than the ones gathered with the SI.
Practical implications –The improvement of interview techniques helps solving criminal cases.
Originality/value –The innovative aspect of this work is that the benefits of the cognitive interview (CI) and
the absence of an effect of inconsistency on accuracy are now also seen among adolescents.
Keywords Adolescents, Cognitive interview, Multiple recollection, Negative emotional event, Testimonies,
Within-statement consistency
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
What may overturn a verdict? The credibility of a witness[1]. The testimony is one of the most
compelling evidence that a jury considers for its decision making. For that, witness’
testimonies have to be detailed, that is, providing information about what happened, when,
where, and who. Moreover, there has to be no doubt about its reliability. Inevitably, any
perceived signs of incoherence or inconsistency in the reported information are questioning
the accuracy and credibility of the testimony. Investigators may try to detect potential lies by
exerting more pressure on the witness via the use of a confirmatory style of questioning.
A recent assessment of interviews conducted with French adolescent witnesses showed,
for example the following “question-answer”sequences in a majority of the studied
interviews: open question –extensive answer –suggestive question –agreement
Dodier et al., 2015.
Received 29 January 2015
Revised 1 July 2015
Accepted 2 July 2015
The authors would like to thank
the schools and children who
participated in the study, the
interviewers for interviewing,
writing the transcripts and coding
the transcripts, and Eva Eudeline
for coding the transcripts for the
interjudge-reliability.
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JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
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VOL. 18 NO. 2 2016, pp. 118-130, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794 DOI 10.1108/JFP-01-2015-0007
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