Citation

Dodier O, Denault V. J. Forensic Sci. 2018; 63(1): 266-274.

Affiliation

Centre d'études en Sciences de la Communication non Verbale, 7401, Hochelaga, Montréal, QC, H1N 3M5, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.13477

PMID

28240349

Abstract

Expert witnesses are sometimes asked to assess the reliability of young witnesses and victims' statements because of their high susceptibility to memory biases. This technical note aims to highlight the relevance of the Griffiths Question Map (GQM) as a professional forensic tool to improve expert witnesses' assessments of young witnesses and victims' testimonies. To do so, this innovative question type assessment grid was used to proceed to an in-depth analysis of the interview of an alleged 13-year-old victim of a sexual assault and two rapes. Overall, the GQM stressed how the interview was mainly conducted in an inappropriate manner. The results are examined with regard to scientific knowledge on young witnesses and victims' memory. Finally, it is argued that expert witnesses in inquisitorial systems might use the GQM while encountering difficulties to fulfill the legal standards for expert evidence in adversarial systems because of the lack of studies regarding its reliability.

© 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

Griffiths Question Map; expert witness; eyewitness memory; forensic psychology; forensic science; leading question; memory; reliability assessment