Forensic Interviews
The Jackson County CAC assists law enforcement and the Department of Human Resources investigators by conducting specialized and unique investigative interviews of children making a report of abuse. The goal of forensic interviews are to gather pertinent information from children in a neutral, non-leading, developmentally sensitive and legally defensible manner.
Successful prosecution of child abuse cases begins with a thorough investigation. At the core of that investigation, the ability to ensure the safety and protection of children often starts with the initial forensic interview conducted by our trained and certified forensic interviewer.
The forensic interview process allows partner agencies to observe the interview as it is being conducted, allowing for a collaborative team approach to taking a child’s statement and protecting the integrity of the information gathered. This approach allows investigative parties to thoroughly assess child safety issues and possible criminal offenses that may have been committed. The forensic interview is a critical part of the initial investigation and possible criminal prosecution. The Forensic Interviewer can be called upon to provide both fact and expert witness testimony to aid in successful prosecution of offenders.