Interviewing children during criminal investigations

Abstract

Aim: The success of the concept of child-friendly justice, the integration of children’s rights into the justice system, can be measured by whether a procedure is traumatic for the child involved, whether it is able to keep the child’s rights and needs in mind and enforce them in every minute. Can it operate only on the basis of legislation, is it sufficient to lay down firm rules of criminal procedure, or should the world of justice and the police be allowed to include the tools of child protection.Methodology: To present the emergence of child interrogation as a specialised field of expertise, with a general legislative focus, primarily from the perspective of the police.Findings: The present study demonstrates the steps our country has taken to promote a specific segment of child-friendly justice.Value: The legal framework is a necessary but not sufficient condition for ensuring the best interests of the child in proceedings. Only a competent professional, with specialised and specific skills and expertise, can effectively implement a child-friendly, child-centred approach.