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Evaluations are often an expectation that funders have for non-profit organizations such as Winnipeg’s child advocacy centre, Snowflake Place for Children and Youth (Snowflake Place). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Snowflake Place through the use of a mixed methods case study evaluation employing the tenets of utilization-focused evaluation. A total of 30 interviews were conducted, with individuals from key service providing partners of Snowflake Place and non-offending caregivers of children who were forensic interviewed at Snowflake Place. This study also analyzed the data tracked by Snowflake Place on its service recipients. The results show that although the organization has only been operating for three years, Snowflake Place is able to provide consistent high quality services such as forensic interviews. Results indicate that Snowflake Place has the potential to improve upon the overall positive experiences of both service providing partners and service recipients. / February 2017

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This study describes and evaluates the possible stress experience of a child in his/her middle–childhood years during an social work interview in forensic practice. The possible use of a music intervention was investigated in order to alleviate the stress levels of a child while being interviewed. The function of a social worker in forensic practice is to gain information from the alledged victim about the alleged abuse during two to at the most three interviews. Various factors may influence this process. Children undergoing a forensic assessment are possibly experiencing residual stress as a result of the trauma he/she has experienced, his/her cognitive appraisal of the event, or the interview itself. Furthermore, the cognitive development of a child in the middle–childhood years also influences his/her statement. The research was aimed at determining: – the presence of stress in a child while being interviewed in forensic practice – whether the introduction of a music intervention during the interview in forensic practice can alleviate the stress levels of a child – whether a lower stress level in a child results in a more complete and applicable statement The experimental and the control group consisted of six participants each. They were obtained from the case load of the researcher. Participants were allocated to the experimental and control group alternatively in the order in which they were referred for assessment. The participants of the experimental group were exposed to Mozart’s serenade, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Serenata no 13 in G major). The participants of the control group were not exposed to a music intervention. The data collection included: – Pulse and blood pressure measurement – A self–developed stress scale to evaluate the participants' bodily experience of stress – A self–developed rating scale to determine the participants' non–verbal stress–related behaviour – A self–developed rating scale to measure the qualitative aspect of the participants' statements The research results cannot be generalised due to the small test sample group. However, certain tendencies could be identified. According to the research results a child in his/her middle–childhood years does not experience excessive stress during interviews in forensic practice. This finding is based on the fact that the pulse and blood pressure measurements were within normal limits. However, the pulse rate of the experimental group was lower during the post–measurement. This could indicate that, to a certain extent, the experimental group's participants felt more relaxed. In addition, the presence of a music intervention had a positive effect on the behaviour of the experimental group's participants during the interviews, in that their behaviour was less disruptive. This may indicate that they felt more relaxed during the interview. The presence of a music intervention during interviews in forensic practice also appears to lead to a slightly better quality of statements. If a better quality statement can be obtained from the child it will result in better service to the courts and, indirectly, to the child. Further studies should follow up on these tendencies. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study describes and evaluates the possible stress experience of a child in his/her middle–childhood years during an social work interview in forensic practice. The possible use of a music intervention was investigated in order to alleviate the stress levels of a child while being interviewed. The function of a social worker in forensic practice is to gain information from the alledged victim about the alleged abuse during two to at the most three interviews. Various factors may influence this process. Children undergoing a forensic assessment are possibly experiencing residual stress as a result of the trauma he/she has experienced, his/her cognitive appraisal of the event, or the interview itself. Furthermore, the cognitive development of a child in the middle–childhood years also influences his/her statement. The research was aimed at determining: – the presence of stress in a child while being interviewed in forensic practice – whether the introduction of a music intervention during the interview in forensic practice can alleviate the stress levels of a child – whether a lower stress level in a child results in a more complete and applicable statement The experimental and the control group consisted of six participants each. They were obtained from the case load of the researcher. Participants were allocated to the experimental and control group alternatively in the order in which they were referred for assessment. The participants of the experimental group were exposed to Mozart’s serenade, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Serenata no 13 in G major). The participants of the control group were not exposed to a music intervention. The data collection included: – Pulse and blood pressure measurement – A self–developed stress scale to evaluate the participants' bodily experience of stress – A self–developed rating scale to determine the participants' non–verbal stress–related behaviour – A self–developed rating scale to measure the qualitative aspect of the participants' statements The research results cannot be generalised due to the small test sample group. However, certain tendencies could be identified. According to the research results a child in his/her middle–childhood years does not experience excessive stress during interviews in forensic practice. This finding is based on the fact that the pulse and blood pressure measurements were within normal limits. However, the pulse rate of the experimental group was lower during the post–measurement. This could indicate that, to a certain extent, the experimental group's participants felt more relaxed. In addition, the presence of a music intervention had a positive effect on the behaviour of the experimental group's participants during the interviews, in that their behaviour was less disruptive. This may indicate that they felt more relaxed during the interview. The presence of a music intervention during interviews in forensic practice also appears to lead to a slightly better quality of statements. If a better quality statement can be obtained from the child it will result in better service to the courts and, indirectly, to the child. Further studies should follow up on these tendencies. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This research paper has examined the validity of the Forensic Assessment Interview Technique (FAINT). FAINT is a specific interview process - accepted and in current use - integrating the works of this researcher with the works of John Reid, Richard Arther, and Avinoam Sapir. The FAINT technique involves the evaluation of nonverbal behavior, projective analysis of unwitting verbal cues, and statement analysis. The fundamental hypothesis of FAINT is that truthful and deceptive criminal suspects differ demonstrably in their nonverbal, verbal and written communication, when asked to respond to a structured format of interview questions. FAINT maintains that these differences are observable and can be quantified to allow forensic interviewers to make accurate determinations of a suspect's involvement in a crime. This research has examined the validity of the technique as measured by a traditional, unweighted 3 point scale and a weighted scoring system (an issue being researched in this paper) comparatively used for determining truth or deception. This dissertation reports the results of both scoring systems, as well as a comparison between them and the historically used Behavioral Analysis Interview (BAI) that was developed by John E. Reid. / Criminology / MA (Criminology)

This research paper has examined the validity of the Forensic Assessment Interview Technique (FAINT). FAINT is a specific interview process - accepted and in current use - integrating the works of this researcher with the works of John Reid, Richard Arther, and Avinoam Sapir. The FAINT technique involves the evaluation of nonverbal behavior, projective analysis of unwitting verbal cues, and statement analysis. The fundamental hypothesis of FAINT is that truthful and deceptive criminal suspects differ demonstrably in their nonverbal, verbal and written communication, when asked to respond to a structured format of interview questions. FAINT maintains that these differences are observable and can be quantified to allow forensic interviewers to make accurate determinations of a suspect's involvement in a crime. This research has examined the validity of the technique as measured by a traditional, unweighted 3 point scale and a weighted scoring system (an issue being researched in this paper) comparatively used for determining truth or deception. This dissertation reports the results of both scoring systems, as well as a comparison between them and the historically used Behavioral Analysis Interview (BAI) that was developed by John E. Reid. / Criminology and Security Science / MA (Criminology)