Interviewing Adolescents A Police Perspective

What Research Tells Us

NSPCC ‘No one noticed no one heard’ 2013 Key Barriers to not disclosing No one to turn to Lived in families with multiple problems, such as substance misuse / mental health / disability Suffering abuse from a number of perpetrators For many abuse started when they were very young so didn’t realise it was wrong They were threatened or intimidated by the perpetrator to keep silent (keep a secret) Felt ashamed / embarrassed or were afraid of being stigmatised or accused of lying

What was important to them when they disclosed How professionals communicated with young people was key Using age and developmentally appropriate words and communication styles Providing a safe place to talk Informing the young person of the actions they were going to take and progress of the investigation Other key features were:- Felt believed Being provided emotional support Someone taking notice when things were not right

Further Research from ‘European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights’ Dr Sarah Krahenbuhl (Research Lead) & Gill Darvill (registered Intermediary) Asked about their experiences in relation to their rights and judicial practices in the UK Right to be heard Right to be informed Right to protection and safety Assessment of child friendliness Non-discrimination Best interest of the child And there is more research that has been commissioned by the Childrens Commissioner in England which is due to be published in October this year relating to victims of CSE 5

Right to be heard Should be empowered Not all Police Officers understand how children and young people feel It all takes so long Special Measures – might not be ‘right’ for an individual Behaviour of legal professionals   On their police interviews, comments ranged between having been told by one 'lovely' officer not to be embarrassed, and being expected to report intimate sexual details to male interviewers who appeared not to grasp just how embarrassed the child was. 6

What do Police need to consider

Rapport is essential Feeling Safe Time and location of Interview Compliance with the Victims Charter Length of interviews is key ‘Written Statement’ v ‘Visually recorded interview’ Investigator to understand cognitive ability, impact of trauma, the psychological impact of exploitation Understand their ‘language’

Get to know the young person How do they wish to be addressed Male or female interviewer Check how they are feeling Offer intermediary or supporter Anticipate set backs

Factors that impact Attachment to the abuser Self esteem Self blame Self identity Sexual identity Peer engagement Emotional regulation

Accept the account may have discrepancies Could be due to misunderstandings confusion, immaturity rather than malicious motivation Investigators must have an awareness of the issues Not to be judgmental Follow the adolescents lead Don’t take the young person behaviour personally Communicate Empathy A common mistake is assuming that the interviewers good intentions will get things off to a positive start with the teenager. Being a friendly person with an interest in what the young person has to say does not guarantee a successful interview. Not because they are being difficult, although unresponsiveness to a friendly interviewer is frequently misinterpreted as a lack o f co-operation. Successful interviewing requires EMPATHY being able to stand in the shoes of the teenager. To be empathic, the interviewer has to tune out reactions to the adolescents presentation and behaviour. Simple comments such as “that must have been frustrating” validate the young persons struggles and communicate empathy

Questioning Focused, specific questions only provide answers to those questions asked, without a context so instead ask “Tell me about that….” “Tell me everything…..” “Then what happened?...........”what Happened next?” Using the more open approach gives context without sending a message to the adolescent that you are seeking certain information Tell me everything – (I wasn’t there, I want to hear what you think and feel about what happened) This open approach allows that free narrative from the child and shows an interest in what they have to say Open questions allows the young person to freely report, minimising use of externally derived or leading questions It may not give everything you need in the first question but allows for more focused later on Provides spontaneous, unsolicited information Spontaneous information that can often be corroborated and helps to evaluate witness credibility

‘Young people’s competence and confidence in telling is reliant on the interviewers competence and ability to listen and respond appropriately’ What often happens is interviewers will say –’The child didn’t disclose’ or ‘the child dint say anything? When actually the responsibility is with the adult/ interviewer for perhaps providing the environment or asking the right questions, failure to plan etc. Or the interviewer did not respond appropriately or listen to the young person