Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many talented prosecutors and professionals in the field of child abuse contributed to the production of FindingWords. We are grateful for their commitment, expertise and generosity. Without their hard work, insights and continuing support, this ambitious project could not have been undertaken.

Faculty for FindingWords, January 10 - 14, 2005, Wichita, KS

Jodi Lashley, MSW, LGSW, Training Coordinator, CornerHouse, Minneapolis, MN
Allie Phillips, 3D, Senior Attorney APRI - NCPCA/NCPTC, Alexandria, VA
Victor Vieth, 3D, Director APRI- NCPTC, Winona, MN
Susanne Walters, Project Consultant APRI-NCPCA/NCPTC, Alexandria, VA
Mindy Mitnick, Ed. M., M.A., Licensed Psychologist, Uptown Mental Health Center, Minneapolis MN
Judy Weigman, MA, LICSW Child Interview Specialist/Trainer, CornerHouse, Minneapolis, MN

Actors

Edward Under — Stacy Poirer — Brian Wood
Dana Munson — Heather Wilson — Trudy Monett

We are also indebted to the United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention for APRI's National Child Protection Training Center under Cooperative Agreement No. 2003-JN-FX-K009

Thank you ail for being a part of Finding Words.

Thomas J. Charron
President
APRI

NOTICE

This manual is intended for the sole use of participants attending the training conference, FindingWords: Interviewing Children and Preparing for Court, presented by APRI's National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse and CornerHouse. It may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from APRI and CornerHouse.

In addition, this manual includes material that has been reprinted by written agreement between CornerHouse and the authors and/or publishers. These materials may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of the authors and/or publishers cited.

For additional information, contact:

American Prosecutors Research Institute National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse
99 Canal Center Plaza,
Suite 510
Alexandria, Virginia 22314 Phone: (703) 739-0321
Fax: (703) 549-6259

CornerHouse
2502 Tenth Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Phone: (612) 813-8300
Fax: (612) 813-8330

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse

The National District Attorneys Association recognized the unique challenges of crimes involving child victims in creating the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse in 1985 — the first program of the American Prosecutors Research Institute. Aimed at providing a central resource for improving responses to child physical, sexual and fatal abuse as well as criminal neglect, the National Center serves child abuse professionals nationwide and internationally. Its services include:

• Expert training and technical assistance by experienced attorneys through in-depth training conferences, site visits, state-specific professional development programs and approximately 4,000 phone consultations per year.
• The nation's only clearinghouse on criminal child abuse case law, statutory initiatives, court reforms and trial strategies — a comprehensive and continually updated resource.
• Authoritative publications such as the two volume manual Investigation and Prosecution of Child Abuse, 3^rd edition, the monthly newsletter UPDATE, monographs, annual statutory summaries and special reports.

Congress has recognized the importance of the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse. Communities served by single, part-time prosecutors to offices with hundreds of deputy district attorneys rely on its materials, training and experienced attorneys. We urge you to take advantage of its impressive services, and to contact the American Prosecutors Research Institute for information on its other programs and resources, including National Traffic Law Center, the Violence against Women Program, the National Juvenile Justice program, The National Center for Community Prosecution, the White Collar Crime Program, and the Office of Research and Evaluation.

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse

American Prosecutor's Research Institute
99 Canal Center Plaza Suite 510
Alexandria, VA. 22314
Phone: (703) 549-4253
FAX:(703) 549-6259
www.ndaa-apri.org

About CornerHouse..

HISTORY
CornerHouse, was founded in 1989, serving Hennepin County as a private, nonprofit organization in public-private partnership with the Hennepin County Attorneys Office, the Minneapolis Police Department, suburban Hennepin County police departments, Hennepin County Children & Family Services, Hennepin County Medical Center and Children's Hospitals and Clinics -Minneapolis.

MISSION
The mission of CornerHouse is to improve the assessment and investigation of child sexual abuse by focusing on the needs of children who have been sexually abused, to facilitate coordination of those mandated to respond, and to share professional

WHAT IS CORNERHOUSE?
CornerHouse is a private, non-profit child abuse evaluation and training center that:

• Conducts nearly 500 interviews per year of children who may have been sexually abused, or a witness to a violent crime;
• Facilitates interdisciplinary teams of investigative professionals to respond collaboratively to reports of sexual abuse;
• Provides over 100 non-emergency medical examinations of children each year; and
• Provides training in talking with children about sexual abuse to hundreds of law enforcement, child protection, prosecuting attorneys, and mandated reporters each year.

CornerHouse provides a "child-friendly" atmosphere where skilled interview specialists conduct multidisciplinary forensic interviews of children. Because the interviews are videotaped and watched over closed-circuit television by an interagency investigative team, multiple interviews of children can be reduced or eliminated, thereby minimizing additional trauma to children and their families while ensuring procedural fairness to those accused of abuse.

AMERICAN PROSECUTORS RESEARCH INSTITUTES NATIONAL CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING CENTER
WSU
227 MAXWELL HALL
WINONA, MINNESOTA 55987
507-457-2890
507-457-2899 (FAX)

MIALING LIST

The American Prosecutors Research publishes several newsletters including Update, Reasonable Efforts and the Half a Nation Newsletter. If you are not currently receiving these free publications and would like to have us add you or your office to our mailing list please complete this form and return it to NCPTC via mail or fax at the address above, OR to the NCPTC presenter at your conference.

You can also view and print over 3 years of Updates on our website at www.ndaa-apri.org. Once in the site, click on APRI in the upper right hand corner; once in the APRI site click on Current Programs on the left, then click on the first listing Child Abuse, Abduction and Exploitation and then click on Newsletter on the right. Thank you.

Name: _____________________________________
Title: ______________________________________
Organization: _______________________________
Address: ___________________________________
City:_________________ State: ______ Zip: ______
Phone Number: _____________________________
Fax Number: _______________________________
E-Mail Address: _____________________________

Around the Corner

CornerHouse is pleased to announce that we are again publishing our newsletter: "Around the Comer." Look for articles related to forensic interviewing, updates on the CornerHouse Forensic Interview Process (RATAC™), upcoming training courses and other information. "Around the Comer" is published quarterly and sent via email; paper copies can be obtained upon request. If you are not currently receiving this newsletter and would like to, please mail or fax this form to the following address:

Attention: Forensic Services Administrative Assistant
CornerHouse
Interagency Child Abuse Evaluation and Training Center
2502 10^th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Fax (612)813-8330

Name: ________________________
Title: _________________________
Agency: ______________________
Email Address: ________________

American Prosecutors Research Institute's National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse

Finding Words

Interviewing Children and Preparing for Court

January 10 - 14, 2005 Wichita Kansas

Agenda

Monday - January 10,2005__

8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. REGISTRATION & PRE-TEST

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. WELCOMING & OVERVIEW OF TRAINING

9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWING

JODlLASHLEY MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapolis, MN

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. HOW CHILDREN EXPERIENCE SEXUAL ABUSE

JodiLashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapolis, MN

12:00 p.m. -1:15 p.m. Lunch

1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. DIVERSITY ISSUES AND THE INTERVIEW PROCESS

Victor Vieth Director

National Child Protection Training Center Winona, MN

2:15 p.m.-2:25 p.m.

Break

Monday - January 10,2005 (continued)

2:25 p.m. - 3:25 p.m. USING AGE APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES TO QUESTION

CHILDREN

Jodj Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapolis, MN

3:25 p.m. - 3:55 p.m. PROCESS OF DISCLOSURE

JodiLashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapolis, MN

3:55 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. PROCESS OF INQUIRY

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapolis, MN

4:45p.m - 5:00 p.m. WRAP -UP

CornerHouse Staff

Tuesday - January 11,2005

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. CORNERHOUSE FORENSIC INTERVIEW PROCESS (RATAC)

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

9:30 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. Break

9:40 a.m. -11:00 a.m. CORNERHOUSE FORENSIC INTERVIEW PROCESS

(RATAC CONTINUED)

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

11:00 a.m. -11:10 a.m. Break

11:10 a.m. -12:00 p.m. CORNERHOUSE FORENSIC INTERVIEW PROCESS

(RATAC CONTINUED) Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

"12:00 p.m. -1:15 p.m. Lunch

1:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. revtew Of process

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

2:00 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. anatomical dolls

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

2:50 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Break

Tuesday-January 11, 2005 (continued)

3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. anatomical dolls (continued)

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. potential blocks and problems in the interview

Process

Jodi Lashley MSW, LGSW CornerHouse Minneapous, MN

4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Skill Building Exercise

Wednesday - January 12,2005

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. child development

MlNDY MlTNICK, ED. M.,M.A.

Licensed Psychologist Uptown Mental Health Center Minneapous, Minnesota

9:00 a.m.-9:10 a.m. Break

9:10 a.m. - 10:10 a.m. child development (continued)

MlNDY MlTNICK, Ed. M.,M.A.

Licensed Psychologist Uptown Mental Health Center Minneapous, Minnesota

10:10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. hearsay and the child victim:

Getting Out of Court Statements Into Court

AluePhilups

Senior Attorney

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse National Child Protection Training Center Alexandria, Va

11:30 a.m. -12:45 Lunch

12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. whatever happened to corroboration anyway

Victor Vieth Director

National Child Protection Training Center Winona, MN

1:45 p.m. -1:55 p.m. Break

1:55 p.m. -3:10 p.m. suggestibility

Victor Vieth Director

National Child Protection Training Center Winona, MN

3:10 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Break

Wednesday - January 12,2005 (continued)

3:20 p.m. - 4:50 p.m. PREPARING THE CHILD WITNESS FOR COURT

SusanneM. Walters Consultant

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse National Child Protection Training Center Winston Salem, NC

Allie Phillips Senior Attorney

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse National Child Protection Training Center Alexandria, VA

4:50 p.m. - 5:15 p.m.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

Thursday - January 13,2005

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

9:30 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. 9:40 a.m. -10:00 a.m.

Group Facilitators:

10:00 sun.-11:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. -1:45 p.m. 1:45 p.m. -2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. 2:40 p.m. - 3:25 p.m. 3:25 p.m. - 4:10 p.m. 4:10 p.m.-4:20 p.m. 4:20 p.m. - 5:05 p.m.

Testifying In Court

Alue Phillips Senior Attorney

National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse National Child Protection Training Center Alexandria, VA

Break

Course Review CornerHouse and APRI Staff

Group #1 Jodi Lashley Group #2 Susanne Walters

Group #3 MlNDY MlTNICK Group #4 JUDYWEIGMAN

Exercise: Student Interview of Child About Non - Abuse Event

Lunch

Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #1 Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #2 Break

Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #3 Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #4 Break

Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #5

Friday - January 14,2005

8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. 8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. - 9:40 a.m. 9:40 a.m.-10:25 a.m. 10:25 a.m.-11:10 a.m. 11:10 a.m.- 11:55 am 11:55 a.m.-1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. 2:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. 2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #6 Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #7 Break

Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #8 Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #9 Exercise: Student Interview and Feedback #10 Lunch

Final Examination Break

Closing Remarks

Program Goals

No area of criminal justice has changed so rapidly over the past fifteen years as child abuse. Few cases are as complex or stressful. Across the country, prosecutors face large caseloads involving child victims, new laws and procedures, as well as growing demands for better coordination with social service, medical and treatment agencies and family courts.

APRI's National Child Protection Training Center recognizes the demands on front-line prosecutors to respond quickly, sensitively and skillfully to these cases. Its training program, FindingWords, brings together a faculty comprised of experienced trial attorneys and interview experts. The faculty of FindingWords provides child abuse professionals a comprehensive introduction to a forensic interview process that will improve their ability to effectively and reliably interview children about sexual abuse.

At the end of the 5 day training you will:

□ Understand the CornerHouse forensic interview process (RATAC) for interviewing children about abuse;

□ Understand the benefits of using a multidisciplinary approach when interviewing children about possible abuse;

□ Have applied the information and techniques by participating in role-play interviews;

□ Understand what it means to act as a "neutral" professional when obtaining information from the child during a forensic interview;

□ Have read the significant research and professional articles related to the forensic interviewing of children.

Finding Wads FORENSIC INTERVIEW TRAINING FACULTY

JODI LASHLEY, MSW, LGSW

Training Coordinator/Child Interview Specialist

Jodi earned her masters of social work degree from the University of Georgia in 2003. She was enrolled in the Community Empowerment-Program Development track. She is licensed by the Minnesota Board of Social Work. She also received a certificate in Non-Profit Management. Jodi earned her undergraduate degree in sociology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1994. Prior to coming to CornerHouse, Jodi worked as a consultant for Children's Advocacy Centers of Georgia (CACGA). She worked with multidisciplinary teams around the state to learn how to help teams excel. As a result of this project, Jodi authored a handbook titled Multidisciplinary Review Team Facilitator's Handbook: Indicators of a Healthy Multidisciplinary Team. Jodi was also a board member of CACGA before beginning her consultant work. Jodi worked at an advocacy center in Georgia where she served as a program director conducting over 1000 forensic interviews, facilitating a multi-disciplinary case review team, and further developing and refining the child advocate program. She also worked at a rape crisis center providing medical advocacy and at a group home for emotionally and behaviorally challenged teenage females.

VICTOR VIETH, JD

Director, APRTs National Child Protection Training Center

Victor Vieth graduated magna cum laude from Winona State University and earned his Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law. During law school, Mr. Vieth served as editor-in-chief of the law review and received the American Jurisprudence award for achievement in the study of Constitutional law. From 1988-1997, Mr. Vieth worked as a prosecutor in rural Minnesota where he gained national recognition for his work to address child abuse in small communities. He is a recipient of Winona State University's Distinguished Young Alumni Award and The Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association named him one of "21 Young Lawyers Leading us Into the 21" Century. "Mr. Vieth is the author of numerous articles pertaining to issues of child abuse and domestic violence. His article Drying Their Tears received the Associated Church Press 1994 Award of Excellence. He is also the author of Unto the Third Generation, a bold initiative that has as its goal the elimination of child abuse in the United States over the course of a century. In 1997, Mr. Vieth joined the staff of the National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse. From 1997-1999, Mr. Vieth worked as a Senior Attorney with the National Center, providing technical assistance and training to prosecutors around the country. In 1999, Mr. Vieth became Director of the National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse and served in that capacity until 2004. In 2003, APR! appointed Mr. Vieth to

serve as the first director of the National Child Protection Training Center on the campus of Winona State University.

Allie Phillips, J.D.

Senior Attorney, National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse/National Child Protection Training Center

Allie Phillips is a Senior Attorney with APRTs National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse in Alexandria, Virginia. Ms. Phillips received her B.A. in Political Science/International Relations from Michigan State University and graduated cum laude from University of Detroit School of Law. She is a member of the Michigan and Maryland Bar Associations. Before joining APRI, she was an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney with the Ingham County Prosecutor's Office in Lansing, Michigan for 7-1/2 years. Allie spent over 5 years assigned to a general criminal felony trial docket and was assigned to the Family Court Division where she prosecuted civil child abuse/neglect and criminal delinquency cases. Allie spent over 4 years providing training to local Michigan prosecutors, police agencies and child protective workers on a variety of issues including trial advocacy techniques and strategies, domestic violence and child abuse investigations and prosecutions.

Suzanne M. Walters, B.A. Finding Words Project Consultant

Susanne received a Bachelors Degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences -Criminology from the University of South Florida in 1989. Ms. Walters is currently employed as a consultant to APRTs National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse. Susanne began her career as an investigator for the State of Florida where she responded to over 800 reports of child abuse and neglect. She went on to become a forensic interviewer with the Child Protection Team of Sarasota, Florida and a member of the Sarasota County Victim Advisory Council. She interviewed over 300 children during her time at the Child Protection Team. Susanne also spearheaded the formation of the Sarasota County Child Fatality Review Team, one of only three in the state at the time. Susanne left Florida in 1997 and moved to the Washington, DC area where she served the American Prosecutors Research Institute's (APRI) National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse as the program's first Victim Witness Specialist. The Walters' Family returned to Florida for 2 years where Susanne worked for the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office as Grant Coordinator and Victim Advocate.

MlNDY Mitnick, ED.M., M.A.

Licensed Psychologist, Uptown Mental Health Center,

Minneapolis, MN

Mindy Mitnick received her graduate degrees from Harvard University and the University of Minnesota. She specializes in work with families going through divorce and with victims of abuse and their families. Ms. Mitnick has trained professionals throughout the country and abroad in identification and treatment of child abuse,

intervention with dysfunctional families, and the impact of psychological trauma. She has been an expert witness in child abuse and divorce cases and has published several articles on these topics.

JUDY WEIGMAN, MA, LICSW Child Interview Specialist/Trainer

Judy is a licensed independent clinical social worker with a master's degree in counseling & psychological services and a bachelor's degree in elementary education. Since coming to CornerHouse in 1990 as an Interview Specialist, Judy has interviewed over 3,000 children on videotape. Judy has trained professionals throughout the country in basic and advanced interview skills, and presents at national and local conferences. Judy also assisted in the development of CornerHouse's advanced training course. Judy has previous experience in elementary teaching, as a principal social worker in child protection in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and also as a therapist in private practice. Judy is a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), and is a charter member and former board member of its Minnesota Chapter (MAPSAC).

end

American Prosecutors Research Institute 2004 CornerHouse

Finding Words Training Manual