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Dr. Marilena Kyriakidou

What characterizes children’s testimonies that proceed to prosecution as compared with those that do not?. Dr. Marilena Kyriakidou Research Fellow in the Psychology of Violence and Interpersonal Aggression, Coventry University Intelligence Analyst on Children Testimonies, CID Cyprus Police

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Dr. Marilena Kyriakidou

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  1. What characterizes children’s testimonies that proceed to prosecution as compared with those that do not? Dr. Marilena Kyriakidou Research Fellow in the Psychology of Violence and Interpersonal Aggression, Coventry University Intelligence Analyst on Children Testimonies, CID Cyprus Police Senior Researcher, NGO Domestic Violence Cyprus ab8061@coventry.ac.uk • The Cyprus Journal of Sciences, Vol. 12, 2014

  2. Importance of Children’s Testimonies • 2/3 of cases only source of evidence (Kyriakidou, 2011) • Unambiguous evidence or third testimonies do not usually exist (O’Keefe, 2004) • Judges and juries rely heavily on testimonials in deciding the outcome of a trial (Porter & Brinke, 2009)

  3. Prosecution Rates • 1 to 16 % of all police cases involving children get prosecuted (Sedlak, et al. 2006) • 1/5 in England and Wales (in 1997) proceeded to prosecution (Gallagher & Pease, 2000) • less convincing when inappropriate questions have been used (Lindsay et al. 2010) • unsatisfactory and misleading evidence (Ashworth, 1998; Baldwin & Bedward, 1991) • weaknesses often arise during a trial (Leng, 1993).

  4. Question Types Oxburgh et al. 2010; p.53

  5. Interviewer’s Experience Interviewers’ experiences did not affect the use of inappropriate questions (Myklebust & Bjorklund, 2006)

  6. Research Questions

  7. Sample 46 Testimonies • M= 10.11, SD=3.35 • 3 -16 years old • Prosecution rates • 27 proceeded to prosecution, • 6 did not proceed, • 13 still under investigation or unknown • Interviewers experience: • 22 interviewers had 3 years or less experience in interviewing children, • 24 interviewers had 4 to 6 years of experience in interviewing children.

  8. Research Questions

  9. Conclusions • Number of evidence the most significant factor influencing whether a case was prosecuted • Informative testimonies (Wood & Garven, 2000) • Not consider whether evidence came from inappropriate questions that may produce inaccurate information • Base their decision mostly on the amount and not on the quality of evidence • Efficiency of police department report

  10. Implications • Improve police records • Future study after improvement of police records • Ensure quantity and quality of evidence • Intelligence analysts help on providing an opinion on the quality of evidence elicited

  11. Thank you Dr. Marilena Kyriakidou ab8061@coventry.ac.uk

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