A Police Officer Is Interviewing a Young Child, Alex, to Try

Essay

A police officer is interviewing a young child, Alex, to try to determine whether or not the child was physically abused by another child during a recent visit to the park. The police officer first asks Alex if he was hit or hurt during his visit to the park. The officer then gives Alex two dolls and asks him to use the dolls to act out what occurred at the park. Finally, when Alex continues to struggle to describe any abusive event, the officer plays a tape in which a different child is describing a fight that took place at the park. The officer then asks Alex if he now remembers the event. Give at least two examples of strategies used by the officer that may negatively influence the accuracy of Alex's report.