This course provides training in trauma-informed forensic interviewing techniques with victims, witnesses, and offenders. Students learn to conduct interviews that prioritize diagnostic understanding, psychological accuracy, and ethical sensitivity while maintaining cultural competence and professional boundaries. Topics include interviewer bias, trauma response, memory reliability, and the impact of stress on recall.
The course emphasizes collaboration with first responders, law enforcement, and legal professionals, including skills for crisis intervention and communication within public-safety systems. Students will also develop foundational courtroom communication skills through simulated testimony and practice being interviewed as expert witnesses. Attention is given to vicarious trauma prevention, professional resilience, and wellness in high-stress forensic environments.