Adult victims and witnesses
The resources in this section are intended to provide supportive information for legal professionals working with adult victims and witnesses. We understand the unique challenges faced by these individuals and the importance of providing tailored communication support around their needs.
The resources available on our website are designed to assist legal professionals in understanding the needs of adult victims and witnesses and in developing strategies for providing the best possible support. Whether you are an intermediary, barrister, solicitor, or other legal professional, you will find valuable information and guidance here.
A research paper on a novel and newly developed technique for interviewing autistic witnesses, referred to a Witness-Aimed First Account, designed to better support differences in the way that autistic witnesses process information in memory
Autistic people have difficulties recalling episodic memories, with executive functioning, theory of mind, and expressive language. This study aimed to assess the impact of these abilities on recall in two previous studies by the authors that compared autistic and typically developing adults on recall specificity in police, healthcare, and employment interviews, and recall quality in employment interviews under unsupported and supported questioning.
A research paper based on a study that tested efficacy of different prompting techniques to support autistic adults’ recall of specific personal memories. Findings offer new practical insight for interviewers to facilitate communication with typically developing and autistic adults.
A review that gives an over view of the memory difficulties that are experienced by individuals with ASD, before discussing the studies that have specifically examined eyewitness testimony in this group and the implications for investigative practice. It also outlines related areas that would be particularly fruitful for future research to explore.
This article outlines some of the characteristics of autism that require special consideration at interview, together with findings from a survey of almost 400 UK police officers regarding their experiences and perceptions of challenges they face when interviewing autistic people.