Improving EWT

Improving EWT

1. Cognitive Interview

   • 4 stages: report everything, changed perspective, context reinstatement and reverse order.
     • Reverse order and changed perspective discourage the use of schemas and prior knowledge.
     • Context reinstatement encourages the witness to visualise their memory of the event.
     • Report everything allows for more accurate details.
   • Developed by Fischer and Geiselmann (1992)
   • Evaluation
     • Strengths
       • Geiselman et al. (1985) found that the CI produced more accurate details than the standard police interview.
       • Useful for child witnesses
     • Weaknesses
       • Time-consuming and requires specialist training.
       • Not useful for suspect recognition
   • The enhanced CI includes no interruption, open-ended questions and allowing them to say they don't know.