CFI Legal & Ethical Issues 3

Question 1

A false confession obtained through prolonged sleep deprivation would most likely be challenged under which legal doctrine?

Accepted Answer

The totality-of-circumstances voluntariness test

Answer

Courts evaluate confession voluntariness under the totality of circumstances, and physical deprivation like sleep deprivation is a key factor indicating coercion.

Question 2

The NICHD Protocol is considered ethically significant in child forensic interviewing primarily because it:

Accepted Answer

Uses scientifically validated, non-suggestive techniques that protect children's testimony integrity

Answer

The NICHD Protocol is evidence-based and minimizes suggestibility, protecting both the child's well-being and the integrity of the investigative process.

Question 3

An interviewer discovers during a pre-interview review that a key piece of exculpatory evidence exists. Ethically, the interviewer should:

Accepted Answer

Disclose the existence of the evidence to the appropriate parties and document it

Answer

Ethical forensic practice and Brady obligations require that exculpatory evidence be disclosed to appropriate parties rather than suppressed or ignored.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes 'informed consent' in the context of a forensic interview with a competent adult witness?

Accepted Answer

Explaining the purpose, voluntary nature, and potential uses of the interview before it starts

Answer

Informed consent requires disclosing relevant information—including purpose, voluntariness, and how information may be used—before the interview begins.

Question 5

When a forensic interviewer suspects child abuse during a civil investigation, mandatory reporting laws typically require:

Accepted Answer

Immediate reporting to child protective services or law enforcement regardless of employment role

Answer

Mandatory reporting statutes in all U.S. states require designated reporters—and often any person—to report suspected child abuse immediately to the appropriate authorities.

(CFI) Certified Forensic Interviewer Practice Test

(CFI) Certified Forensic Interviewer Practice Test

CFI Legal & Ethical Issues 3