Despite tackling domestic abuse being a priority in many jurisdictions, statistics indicate a striking discrepancy between the number of reported and charged cases (>50% in the UK). The most likely reason is insufficient evidence, indicating a need to use effective interviewing techniques to improve memory reporting. In this preregistered study, we examined the potential of the timeline technique to facilitate witness reporting in domestic abuse scenarios. Fifty-four participants in the role of friends experienced interpersonal interactions between a heterosexual couple in Virtual Reality. The interactions involved behaviours consistent with the early stages of domestic abuse. The following day, participants were told they were cited as witnesses to a reported incident of domestic abuse and asked to give a written statement. One week later, participants were interviewed using the timeline technique or a free-recall interview. Preliminary results indicated that interview reports with the timeline technique were more accurate than free-recall reports.

Despite adolescents regularly serving as witnesses in legal cases, little research has focused on strategies to enhance the completeness and accuracy of their reports. The current study investigated how modified rapport-building, adapted from best practices with children and adults, affect adolescents’ reports during online and in-person interviews. In a first session, participants viewed a 20-minute teen drama concerning topics salient to adolescents (e.g., sexual relationships). A week later, they were questioned about the video in an online or in-person interview. Interviews began with one of three rapport building approaches: closed-ended, open-ended, or enhanced (open-ended plus mutual disclosure). Data collection is complete (N=244); coding is ongoing. Preliminary analyses (N=133) show participants recalled more information online (M=844 words) than in-person (M=618), [F(1,131) = 9.48, p = .003], with no rapport effects. Further analyses will explore how interview and rapport conditions impact accuracy, informing best practices for interviewing adolescent witnesses.

This meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of interview techniques in improving memory accuracy and source monitoring. Research on repeated events consistently identifies source monitoring as a major challenge for adults when recalling memories, particularly in legal systems like Australia’s, which require survivor/victims to provide detailed accounts of not just what they experienced but when each detail occurred. While various strategies beyond free recall have been included in studies, the most effective methods for reducing source monitoring errors remain unclear. By synthesizing empirical studies, we examine how formal interview techniques, such as mental context reinstatement and the cognitive interview, alongside strategies including recall order and labeling, impact recall accuracy and the ability to differentiate memory sources. The findings will be discussed in relation to improving memory accuracy and source monitoring, offering valuable insights into best practices for enhancing the reliability of adult memory reports, with significant implications for forensic settings.

Witness cooperation is essential in allowing witnesses to provide complete and accurate accounts of witnessed events. Research has begun to explore the use of social influence techniques in investigative contexts to increase information disclosure, as well as other relevant measures (e.g., rapport). The current study used an online paradigm to assess differences in (i) compliance with a request for information and (ii) number of critical items disclosed based on the framing of the request (foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face or target request only). We also included manipulations of cooperativeness (cooperative; reluctant) and relationship to those involved in the event (close relationship; distant acquaintance). Results suggest that foot-in-the-door approaches can increase compliance with a target request, but do not significantly affect the amount of information disclosed. The amount of information disclosed did however vary with the cooperativeness condition, suggesting that this novel approach can be used to simulate witness reluctance in experimental research.