Offices of the United States Attorneys: Project Safe Childhood Child Interviewing Seminar

This course is designed for criminal AUSAs and Department of Justice Attorneys who prosecute child exploitation cases. This is an interactive course in which each student will have the opportunity to develop child interviewing skills through participating in an interview practicum. Students will learn best practices for investigating and prosecuting child sexual exploitation and abuse cases that involve the testimony of a child victim, including use of an evidence-supported forensic interview model in which the interviewer adapts to the needs of each individual child based upon unique situational variables present. Areas of emphasis include child development, memory and suggestibility, the need for age-appropriate questioning, the disclosure process, searching for and presenting corroborative evidence, legal and evidentiary issues, and preparing children for court.