Interviewing witnesses : what works and what doesn't ?

In a forensic setting a witness is a key contributor. Much research has recently been directed to helping the witness achieve as full and accurate a recall as possible. One of the most promising techniques to emerge is the cognitive interview (CI). Tests of the cognitive interview with young adults suggest that is generates consistent and significant gains in the amount of correct information recalled. However, more recent studies (with adults and children) suggest that the gains are accompanied by an increase in errors and confabulations. These findings have important implications for the cognitive interview as a forensic tool. This article examines the evidence and raises theoretical and methodological issues arising from work on the CI. In light of the Recovered Memory debate, broader practical implications of this work are considered.