What to Know Before the Forensic Interview
If you are a caregiver accompanying someone to an interview appointment,
here’s what you need to know:
How long will the interview last?
CornerHouse never sets a time for how long interviews go as we like to give the individual as long as they need to talk with someone about their experience. However, we recommend to plan at least 3 hours to be at CornerHouse. This includes time before the interview when the CornerHouse interviewer will meet with you prior to meeting with your loved one, the interview itself, and time after the interview to meet with law enforcement and/or child protection to ask any questions and go over next steps.
What time do I need to arrive for the interview?
There is no need to be early. Please arrive at the scheduled time given to you.
Can I be in the room during the interview?
The interview is conducted in a confidential manner, with only the interviewer and the individual in the room. This helps preserve the integrity of the interview and bolster the credibility of the information provided.
Who is present in the room during the interview?
The only person in the room with the individual is a trained CornerHouse interviewer, though the other people who need information from the interview (law enforcement and/or child protection, and a county attorney) will be watching on a screen in another room.
What if someone doesn’t want to talk about what happened?
The forensic interview is an important chance to be heard, but it is a person-centered process. No one is ever pressured to answer a question they don’t want to answer.
How can I help someone prepare for the interview?
Let the person know that they have an appointment to talk about anything that may have happened, and that it is OK with you if they answer questions. Let the person know that they can ask questions and request a break if needed.
Do not tell the person what to say or not say in the interview. Do not ask the person a lot of questions about their experience before the interview occurs. It is OK to listen non-judgmentally if the person wants to talk about their experience. Do not make any promises about what will happen in the future.
We want your family’s experience at CornerHouse to be as comfortable as possible. If you have additional questions leading up to or after your interview, please reach out to your CornerHouse advocate.