Interrogation interview

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Interview type and interviewee selected: (E.g., Cognitive Interview with a cooperative crime

witness; Good practice interview with an alleged child sexual abuse victim; Custodial suspect

interrogation, etc.) Specify here. NICHD Structured Protocol with an 8-year-old child regarding

inappropriate touching with a focus on the introductory phase and the transition to the

substantive phase.

Interviewer = R

Interviewee = E

1R: Hi Michael. My name is Jane. I’m here to talk to you about a few things today. What I do is

I talk to kids about things that have happened to them. I like the shirt you’re wearing today…I

love Spiderman.

1E: My daddy’s taking me to see the movie and everything this weekend!

2R: You must be very excited. Now Michael, if at any time during our talk today you don’t know

the answer to one of my questions, you can just say, “I don’t know.” Okay? So, if I asked you

where I lived, what would you say?

2E: I don’t know.

3R: That’s right because you have never been to my house. I would also like you to tell me if I

say anything that is not true today, okay? Can you do that for me?

3E: Yeah.

4R: Great. So, if I said that your dad’s name is Adam, what would you say?

4E: No, it’s not. His name is Steve.

5R: Very good. So, tell me what some of your favorite things to do are.

5E: Well, I like to play outside with my brother.

6R: Oh yeah? Tell me more about that.

6E: We play lots of games like kickball and basketball. Sometimes we make up games too.

7R: Good. Now tell me about school.

7E: My favorite time at school is when we have recess outside. Me and my friend John play on

the obstacle course. And sometimes we play capture the flag with the whole class.

8R: That sounds like fun. It seems like you really like to spend time outside. Now can you tell

me about what you don’t like about school.

8E: My teacher is really mean. One time she sent me to the principal’s office for talking too loud

during class.

9R: Tell me more about that.

9E: I was talking to my friend and she got really mad and yelled at me in front of the whole

class. Then she made me go to the office. I was really scared. And I had to miss recess. I was so

mad.

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10R: I bet you were. That stinks that you had to miss recess. Tell me about your Thanksgiving

holiday.

10E: My family came to visit from New York and we all went to my grandma’s house. We ate

lots and lots of food.

11R: Good. Can you tell me everything you remember doing from the time you woke up on

Thanksgiving to the time you went to bed that same day?

11E: Um. My mom made me some pancakes for breakfast when I woke up. Blueberry pancakes

‘cause that’s my favorite. Then I had to get dressed in my nice clothes and mom put this funny

stuff in my hair to make it smooth, she said. She said I had to look nice because we were going

to my grandma’s house. Then ne, my mom and dad and my brother got in the car and we went to

my grandma’s. Everyone was there. We ate a lot of food like turkey, stuffing, and green bean

casserole. Then me and my brother and cousins played videogames. I fell asleep on the couch.

Then my mom woke me up and said we had to leave. It was dark outside. So, we went home, and

I went to bed. I was really tired.

12R: Okay, great. Now I would like you to tell me everything you did from the time you woke

up today to the time you got home from school.

12e: Everything?

13R: Yes, as much as you can remember.

13E: Well, my mom woke me up at 7AM. I wake up at 7 cause’ school starts at 8. Then I got

dressed and ate some Cheerios. Then I said bye to my mom and dad and me and my brother

walked down to the bus stop and got on the bus. And then we got to school, and my brother went

to his class and I went to mine and talked to my friend John. Then we read books. And then we

did a science experiment where we planted seeds in the dirt. They’re going to grow into big

plants my teacher says. Then the bus came and picked us up and brought us home.

14R: All right. Well, now that we know each other a little bit better I want to talk about why we

are here. Do you know why you are here today?

14E: Yeah. My dad said it is to talk about what Mr. Lawrence did to me.

15R: Tell me everything that you can remember about that.

15E: Um. He touched me, and I didn’t like it.

16R: Tell me more about that.

16E: Well he made me pull down my pants and then touched me on my bottom and um…

17R: How many times did this happen, one time or many times?

17E: Only once. I had to go to his house one day after school cause’ my babysitter couldn’t come

over.

18R: Okay. Tell me everything about that one time.

18E: Well I was at his house and we were on the couch watching TV and he just put his hand on

my private. He said he wanted to play a game with me and then he told me to pull my pants

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down, but I said no because I was scared and didn’t want to. Then he said if I didn’t he wouldn’t

let me go home so I did.

19R: What happened after that?

19E: Then he told me to touch him, but my dad came to pick me up, so he stopped.

20R: Tell me everything about that.

20E: He was loosening the belt on his pant when my dad honked the car horn and came to the

door. He quickly moved away from me and told me to pull my pants back up.

21R: You mentioned that Mr. Lawrence told you to touch him, tell me everything about that.

21E: He told me to touch his private and then forced my hand to touch it over his pants.

22R: You mentioned you were watching TV on the couch can you describe the couch and where

you were?

22E: We were sitting in the living room on a big blue couch. It had lots of pillows and blankets.

We were in the middle facing the TV and we were watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

23R: Okay. Thank you. Now I want to make sure I understood everything you said. You were

watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on TV with Mr. Lawrence on his blue couch in the

living room when he put his hand on your private and told you he wanted to play a game. Then

he told you to pull your pants down, you said you didn’t want to, then he told you he wouldn’t let

you go home unless you pulled them down. You then pulled your pants down and he told you to

touch his private, then forced your hand to touch his private on top of his pants while he

loosened his belt. Your dad honked the horn to indicate he was outside to pick you up and Mr.

Lawrence moved away from you and told you to pull your pants back up. Is there anything else

you remember about the incident?

23E: No. I think that’s all. I can’t think of anything else.

24R: Okay Michael, you’ve told me why you came to talk to me today and given me lots of

information and that really helps me understand what happened. Thank you for talking to me

today. Is there anything else you think I should know before you go home?

24E: Nope. I don’t think so.

25R: Well if you remember anything else about what happened, let your mom or dad know and

they can bring you back here to talk to me. Okay? So, are you getting excited for Santa to come?

25E: Yeah! I can’t wait.

23R: What do you hope that he will bring you?

23E: A PlayStation!

24R: A PlayStation? Wow. Well I hope you get everything you want and have a great Christmas.

Let’s go find your mom.