Possibilities of a Psychological Analysis of the Testimonies of Juvenile Witnesses and Victims in Criminal Proceedings

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Abstract

The article estimates the issues of quality control, credibility and accuracy of testimonies of minor witnesses and victims. The scheme of psychological analysis developed by the authors of the testimony of minors in criminal proceedings based on the research and experience of both foreign and domestic experts is presented. The practice of psychological support for the investigation of crimes by psychologists of the Main Department of Criminalistics (Forensic Center) of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation showed that a psychological analysis of the testimony is in top-requested in two cases in particular: as may be required as a quick assessment of the testimony of minors for urgent procedural decisions and when investigating crimes against sexual integrity, when the testimony of a child are key evidence. The article provides examples of the use of this analysis scheme in the investigation of specific criminal cases and the consideration of materials of pre-investigation checks.

General Information

Keywords: legal psychology, child legal psychology, psychology of evidence; investigative practice; minor participants in criminal proceeding; psychological support for crime investigation.

Journal rubric: Legal Psychology of Childhood

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/psylaw.2019090413

For citation: Karpova A.V., Mikhaylova Y., Chizhova D.S. Possibilities of a Psychological Analysis of the Testimonies of Juvenile Witnesses and Victims in Criminal Proceedings [Elektronnyi resurs]. Psikhologiya i pravo = Psychology and Law, 2019. Vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 174–186. DOI: 10.17759/psylaw.2019090413. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

References

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Information About the Authors

Anna V. Karpova, inspector of the third division of the Forensic Technology Directorate of Main Forensic Derectorate, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: tku-psy@yandex.ru

Yulia Mikhaylova, PhD in Psychology, senior inspector of the third division of criminalistical support of investigation of technical and сriminalistical department, Main Derectorate of criminalistics of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: juliami1976@yandex.ru

Diana S. Chizhova, PhD in Psychology, senior inspector of the third division of the Forensic Technology Directorate of Main Forensic Derectorate, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: tku-psy@yandex.ru

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