1. Interviewing Children Facilitated interviews
Police Superintendent Malin Morin Nymoen–
Sex Crime Squad/Oslo/Norway

2. Interviewing children

3. Facilitated interviews – which cases
Sex crimes
Genital mutilation
Murder
Serious injury
Domestic violence
Trafficking
Robbery
Less serious injury

4. Development in facilitated interviews Oslo

5. Facilitated interviews – where
Children's House since 2009 in Oslo
Since October 2015 – a legal requirement
Until 2009 – at the Police Station

6. Facilitated interviews – previous location
Police Station

7. Facilitated Interviews – current location
Children's House

8. Facilitated interviews– who
Police Academy: 3 years since 1996
Only certified personnel (approx. 20 in Oslo)
A senior police officer with special education from the Police Academy
Level 1 Primary education- DCM
Ages 6 – 16/18
One-year education
4 weeks at the Police Academy
Practical work under guidance
Exams
Level 2 - Sequential interviews
Ages 2/3 – 6 and mentally challenged individuals
2 weeks at the Police Academy
Practical work
Secondment at centres for mentally challenges

9. Facilitated interviews – lead by
A police lawyer has the overall responsibility for the interview
Ensure:
Substitute guardian
Counsel for the agreed party
Defence lawyer
That the interviewee will be accompanied by a suitable person
That meetings according to the law is held (before and after)
Decide who can participate
Log events related to the interview
Make a decision about what to write down from the interview
Full dialog
Minutes with some dialog (important extracts)
Decide whether or not to charge the suspect after the interview
Interviews of children used to be lead by a judge – now police lawyer.
The police lawyer must lead the interview objectively.
Norway is a civil law country – criminal investigation and proceedings are not a parts process. In 2013 the legislator decided to codify the prosecution authorities' duty to objectivity, new section 55.

10. Facilitated interviews - the police lawyer's main responsibilities:
Secure the evidence value of the interview
Make sure that the suspect’s rights are secured
Protect the witness and make sure that they are given their rights according to the law

11. Interviewing children – defense lawyer
A defence lawyer is normally not present during the first interview
Makes it easier to report to the police
Protect the suspect from groundless suspicion
To protect the offended in cases where he/she is living together with the suspect
Domestic violence
Incest
If someone is charged after the first interview
The person who is charged will immediately be informed
Get to see the first interview
Can ask for a second interview (within 1 week) where the defence lawyer will be present
Supplementary interview
contradiction
Questions must be supplied as part of the request

12. Facilitated interviews– participants
Police lawyer
Counsel for the agreed party
Substitute guardian
Interviewer
Investigator
Advisor/psychologist from Children’s House
Technician
Representatives from Child Welfare Services (if necessary)
(Defence lawyer)

13. Facilitated interviews - prepartations
The interviewer calls the person who will accompany the interviewee a few days prior to the interview
Give information about the interview, the Children's House, the interviewer, agenda, etc.
Get some information about the interviewee - interests, cognitive development, language skills etc.
The child is informed in the evening, the day before the interview is held
Informed by the person who will accompany the interviewee (who is instructed by the interviewer)
“You are going to the Children's House tomorrow, to talk with Malin about what happened…”
The interviewer does not meet or talk to the interviewee prior to the interview
Just before the interview starts, we have a meeting with the other participants (to discuss the case)
The interviewer meets the interviewee and the accompanying person, and show them the facilities and how it works before the interview starts

14. Facilitated interviews – formalities
The interviewee should be informed who is present and that the interview is recorded
The interviewee is informed about the case and why we would like to do an interview
The interviewee is encouraged to tell the truth
Take them seriously
Control over the situation
Commitments
The information provided depends on the age and capabilities of the interviewee

15. Facilitated interviews – Dialogical Communication Method (DCM)
The interview comprises 7 phases
Preparations
Building trust ( Waiting room)
Formalities ( Interrogation room)
Case/theme introduction
Narrative interview- free explanation
Probing – theme by theme, and confrontations if necessary
Finalization
• Side 15

16. Facilitated interviews – key elements
Establish trust
Open ended questions
Patience
Active listening
Follow up on the child’s statements
More detailed questions when needed
If necessary we confront the child in the end (if we don’t ask, we won’t know…)

17. Facilitated interviews- Promotional communication
Direct, clearly, informativ, interested
The childs language, reduce the balance of power
Significant informant
Be courious
Opend ending questions
Meta communication
Tell, describe, explain
Expand the story

18. Facilitated interviews- Inhibitory communication
Closed ended questions
Leading questions
Several questions
Adult language
Questioning style/ interrogations
Overhearing
Sudden change of theme
Doubt/ pressure

19. Interviewing children - Age table

20. Interviewing children – video recording played in court
The purpose:
Avoid children having to meet in court, unless they want to
To comply with the principle of hearing both sides, the defence can request a complementary interview prior to the trial
In court:
The recording from the interview is normally played prior to the defendant's statement
The judge and the parties has the full transcript from the interview, and the prosecutor can confront the defendant using details from the statement
Slippe å møte gjerningspersoner (nære relasjoner)
Flere år før saken kommer opp – barnet husker ikke like godt

21. Interviewing children - what to expect
Everything…

22. Interviewing children - what to expect
…or nothing!

23. Drawing by 8-year old interviewee

24. Drawing by 8-year old interviewee(2)

25. Interviewing children - credibility
The 8-year old who made these drawings was found credible by the court, and the offender was convicted.
A key objective for recent developments in Norway has been to improve the children’s credibility.
Recent developments include:
Improved education of interviewers
Improved facilities for interviews and medical examinations
Continuous improvements to the methodology
New law - October 2015

26. Interviewing children – cooperation with Children's House
Better prepared and more focused interviews
The interviewer can focus at the interview - not the practicalities
Short term: the child is cared for by professionals after the interview
More detailed statements
Strengthens the child's credibility
Long term: the child’s welfare is taken care of by professionals
Sharing of knowledge
Ex. workshops
Creating a positive experience for the interviewee

27. Care and Justice
• Side 27