"Is the Child Telling the Truth?"

WORDS MATTER #4: "Is the Child Telling the Truth?"
-Maggi Hutchason, Forensic Interview Specialist & Community Educator

​I am asked this question often—particularly by defense attorneys:
"Is the child telling the truth?"
The truthful answer is... I don't know.
I do not have the ability—or the necessary information—to make that determination.
A forensic interview is not designed to determine whether a child is truthful or deceptive. Instead, it is a carefully structured conversation that allows a child to share what they remember in a way that is developmentally appropriate, legally defensible, and as free from outside influence as possible.
Our responsibility at Dearing House is not to decide what happened. Our responsibility is to obtain the child's account as accurately and objectively as possible.
A Forensic Interview is the Beginning—Not the End
Think of a forensic interview as laying the foundation for the investigation.
The purpose of the interview is to gather the most accurate information possible so investigators can follow the evidence to determine whether the child's account can be corroborated.  This process involves interviewing other people, examining locations, searching electronic devices, collecting medical evidence, and reviewing records.
Our next lesson in WORDS MATTER will focus on CORROBORATION, originating from the Latin corroborare, meaning "to strengthen."
In criminal investigations, corroboration is the process of strengthening—or challenging—a statement, theory, or finding through additional evidence or independent sources. Investigators use corroboration to verify information, reduce bias, and build the most accurate account of past events.
A child's forensic interview is one important piece of evidence, but it is only one piece.
My responsibility as a forensic interviewer is to conduct an interview that is reliable.
What Makes an Interview Reliable?
Let's look at another important word: RELIABLE.
The word has been part of the English language since the 1500s and means something that can be trusted or depended upon. Reliability begins with how the interview is conducted.
At Dearing House—and at every Child Advocacy Center across the country—we use nationally recognized forensic interview protocols designed to reduce suggestion and increase the accuracy of children's reports.
Rather than asking leading questions or filling in missing details, interviewers rely heavily on open-ended invitations such as:
"Tell me everything that happened."
"Then what happened?"
"Tell me more about that."
These types of questions encourage children to describe events in their own words instead of simply agreeing with an adult's suggestion.
Professionals also understand that trauma affects memory. Children may remember events in pieces rather than in perfect chronological order. They often recall additional details over time as they feel safer or as one memory naturally triggers another.
Minor inconsistencies are common in all human memory and do not automatically make a statement unreliable. Instead, interviewers focus on the child's own narrative, spontaneous details, and whether the interview itself was conducted in a manner that promotes accurate recall.
Dearing House Advocates for the Process—Not the Outcome
One of the most important ethical principles in forensic interviewing is neutrality.
Forensic interviewers are not advocates for a particular outcome. We are not working to prove abuse occurred, nor are we trying to disprove an allegation. Instead, we advocate for a fair, objective process that gives every child the opportunity to be heard while protecting the integrity of the investigation.
Sometimes the evidence supports the child's statement.
Sometimes it does not.
In either case, the forensic interview has fulfilled its purpose if it provides reliable, unbiased information that helps investigators follow the evidence wherever it leads.
 
Justice Requires Teamwork
The forensic interview is only one part of the investigative process.

• Law enforcement investigates the facts.
• Medical professionals evaluate physical findings.
• Child welfare professionals assess child safety.
• Prosecutors determine whether the evidence meets the legal standard for criminal charges.
• Mental health professionals provide treatment and healing.

Each member of the multidisciplinary team contributes a unique area of expertise. Together, they evaluate all available evidence before reaching conclusions.
No single interview of a child determines the outcome of a case.
That brings us back to the original question.
"Is the child telling the truth?"
The better question is:
"Was the interview conducted in a manner that allowed the child to provide reliable information that investigators can corroborate as they work to discover the truth?"
That is the purpose of a forensic interview.
Not to decide guilt or innocence.
Not to determine who should be believed.
But to provide a reliable foundation that allows investigators to follow the evidence—wherever it leads.