Misinterpreted testimonies: An educational video for interviewers’ and interpreters’ collaboration when interviewing children. (abstract only)

The growing migration in European Countries and other continents increased the need of foreign language interpretation services in investigative interviews and added to the continuous commitment in helping front line interviewers of children. Although interpreters are expected to literally interpret what is being said from one language to another, applied forensic linguistics suggests that things are not that simple! If interviewers, interpreters and children are not prepared for this group effort to extract forensic details, interpretation may lead to misinterpreted testimonies. This project was funded by the International Investigative Interviewing Research Group to explore the challenges faced by interviewers’ and interpreters' collaboration and support them within the various difficulties in which they function. A short educational video on Interviewers’ and Interpreters’ Collaboration in Investigative Interviews of Children (ICIC) will be developed based on interviewers and interpreters responses on our survey as well as a review of the literature. It is expected that ICIC will have a practical value by complementing practitioners’ training. Interviewers and interpreters may watch ICIC during training or importantly prior an interview reminding them the basic principles of their collaboration. Perhaps the most important benefit for practitioners its ICIC’s potential impact on the quality of police interviews with children

The impact of investing in the good interviewers policy of practice (IGIpop) on police interviews with children

It is important to elicit the best evidence from children during investigative interviews. Many of recent improvements (such as extensive training) are costly to implement preventing police forces with small budgets from adopting them. A policy is needed that can benefit all forces irrespective of their financial resources. We assessed a new approach: Investing in the Good Interviewers: Policy of Practice (IGIpop). IGIpop suggests that all interviews should be conducted using 'good' interviewers. In 2016 we evaluated the performance of interviewers in a police force and identified the good interviewers. IGIpop was implemented in 2017 when five good interviewers were chosen to conduct all of the interviews with children alleging sexual abuse. We analysed 102 interviews and assessed how IGIpop impacted the quality of interviews. As expected, appropriate interviewing approaches increased and inappropriate interviewing approaches decreased after IGIpop. IGIpop achieved an important improvement in the quality of interviews with no additional training or costs

Longitudinal Fluctuations of National Help-Seeking Reports for Domestic Violence Before, During, and After the Financial Crisis in Cyprus

Although many studies generally agree that unemployment may affect domestic violence, little is known about these effects in small nations. The relationship between unemployment and domestic violence in large and small nations may be different. This is because small nations have more expensive public sectors and limited employment opportunities in comparison with larger nations. We examined how longitudinal rates of national help-seeking domestic violence contacts (DVCs) from the only nongovernmental domestic violence support agency in Cyprus (a small nation) fluctuated in relation to national unemployment data between 1996 and 2016. This period included an economic crisis which commenced in 2011 and showed signs of recovery in 2015. We analyzed whether the fluctuations in unemployment registrations could predict changes in DVCs. Our analysis included 5,103,120 unemployment registrations and 21,774 DVCs. Findings supported our hypothesis and revealed unemployment predicted and correlated with DVCs. There were significant changes to DVCs when Cyprus plunged into economic crisis, meaning that when unemployment increased, DVCs also increased. Cyprus does not deviate from larger societies in help-seeking behavior in the form of people contacting a national helpline when exposed to economic crises. This study provides evidence of the link between economic hardship and increased help-seeking behaviors in small nations. Societies at risk of an economic crisis need to consider the potential impact on domestic violence rates and on demand for support services

Evaluation of children's testimonies in the Republic of Cyprus : implications for criminal and legal procedures

Objectives: The primary aim of the thesis was to examine the procedures of the police criminal investigation unit in Cyprus Republic and the legal procedures related to children's testimonies. Method: First, a study evaluated the actual practices used by Cyprus Republic police officers when interviewing children. Second, three surveys examined police officers', judges' and lawyers' perceptions of videotaped testimonies with children and the treatment of children in courts. Third, two experimental studies investigated how children's recall was influenced by keeping their eyes closed during interviews. Results: The first study indicated that only one third of the interviews by police officers included all of the phases prescribed in interviewing protocols. Nearly all of the questions used were focused questions and that two-thirds of all the potential evidence enclosed in children's transcripts came from focused questions. The analysis also provided evidence of problematic interviewers' behaviours and distortions of children's words. The second study showed a general view that videotaping children's testimonies was a positive development in Cyprus Republic but all the professionals interviewed were aware of problematic areas that required attention. They were also evidence that some children may be mistreated during cross-examination. The last two experimental studies provided contradictory evidence on how children's eye conditions could affect their accounts. The first experimental study showed that closing eyes improved children's accuracy when being questioned about an event they had experienced. However the second experimental study failed to show any beneficial effect for keeping eyes closed. Conclusions: The quality of children's testimonies elicited by the police in Cyprus Republic replicates previous problematic outcomes from similar studies conducted in other countries. Police officers', judges' and lawyers' beliefs and behaviors about children's testimonies and towards children added important information on how legal procedures can be improved further in Cyprus Republic. The results of the two experimental studies raised issues for further research.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Evaluation of children's testimonies in the Republic of Cyprus : implications for criminal and legal procedures

Objectives: The primary aim of the thesis was to examine the procedures of the police criminal investigation unit in Cyprus Republic and the legal procedures related to children's testimonies. Method: First, a study evaluated the actual practices used by Cyprus Republic police officers when interviewing children. Second, three surveys examined police officers', judges' and lawyers' perceptions of videotaped testimonies with children and the treatment of children in courts. Third, two experimental studies investigated how children's recall was influenced by keeping their eyes closed during interviews. Results: The first study indicated that only one third of the interviews by police officers included all of the phases prescribed in interviewing protocols. Nearly all of the questions used were focused questions and that two-thirds of all the potential evidence enclosed in children's transcripts came from focused questions. The analysis also provided evidence of problematic interviewers' behaviours and distortions of children's words. The second study showed a general view that videotaping children's testimonies was a positive development in Cyprus Republic but all the professionals interviewed were aware of problematic areas that required attention. They were also evidence that some children may be mistreated during cross-examination. The last two experimental studies provided contradictory evidence on how children's eye conditions could affect their accounts. The first experimental study showed that closing eyes improved children's accuracy when being questioned about an event they had experienced. However the second experimental study failed to show any beneficial effect for keeping eyes closed. Conclusions: The quality of children's testimonies elicited by the police in Cyprus Republic replicates previous problematic outcomes from similar studies conducted in other countries. Police officers', judges' and lawyers' beliefs and behaviors about children's testimonies and towards children added important information on how legal procedures can be improved further in Cyprus Republic. The results of the two experimental studies raised issues for further research.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo