FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
What workshops does The Forensic Practice offer?
We have numerous engaging, instructor-led, face-to-face workshops for individuals and organizations that provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct client-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based, and culturally safe interviews with different types of interviewees. Follow this link for more information on our workshops.
Do you provide online training?
Yes. Since 2020, The Forensic Practice has developed and delivered online, instructor-led workshops via Zoom. Our online workshops are designed to enhance engagement and learning and reduce Zoom fatigue. In addition, we have developed further online learning activities that can be delivered via Zoom, MS Teams, or WebEx.
What is StepWise 360?
StepWise 360 is the latest iteration of the StepWise approach to interviewing. It remains anchored in the empirically validated and court-proven StepWise structure and philosophy, and it incorporates research and applied knowledge from areas such as interviewing adult witnesses, victims, and suspects in criminal and child protection cases; evaluating truthfulness; assessing and managing risk for violence; trauma-informed practice; and adult learning. Follow this link to read about StepWise 360 in full.
Is StepWise 360 evidence-based?
Yes, StepWise 360 is an empirically based approach to interviewing. It is a technique that integrates “the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2006, p. 273). Follow this link for a review of the StepWise 360 and its empirical foundation.
How does StepWise 360 streamline interview training and learning?
Most professionals require the knowledge and skills to interview children and adults, as well as how to tailor these interviews when working with people with complex needs, trauma survivors, and reluctant interviewees. When you receive basic and advanced training from the same organization, you can focus on learning new skills, rather than how to translate the new material into the language you are accustomed to. This makes for a less frustrating experience and greater learning gains.
Has StepWise ever been challenged in court?
In the 30+ years since its development, there has never been a successful challenge of the StepWise in any court in any country.
Why is it important to take advanced interviewing training? I am a frontline interviewer.
As a frontline interviewer, a basic interviewing course will teach you to become a competent interviewer. However, if you need to navigate a variety of situations at work, if you want to feel confident no matter who you are interviewing, and if you want to be known as a genuine asset to your team, advanced interview training is essential. It will show you how to handle complex cases and how to interview people with various complex needs.
Why is it important to take advanced interviewing training? I am a supervisor.
As a supervisor, it’s important to ensure that your team gets the training they need. It shows them that they are valued and supported. Plus, it benefits both the individual and the organization if each interviewer has the skills to conduct any type of interview. Having such a team protects against job dissatisfaction and recruitment and retention problems.
Why is mentorship important for interviewers?
Research is clear. What people learn in a classroom does not easily translate to improved skills in the field. Even when training is effective, it is prone to lose its effectiveness over time. This is commonly known as interviewer drift. Mentorship protects against interviewer drift. Besides helping interviewers maintain their skills, regular sessions with a mentor contributes to confidence-building, developing new skills, peer support, and job satisfaction.
What is interview drift and what can I do to negate it?
Interview drift refers to the fact that we all tend to move away (or drift) from best practices if we stop focusing on reviewing and updating our interviewing skills. To protect yourself from interview drift, refer back to your training material, use your checklists, seek peer reviews and expert mentorship, participate in refresher courses, and seek advanced training.
For Individuals
What workshops does The Forensic Practice offer?
We have numerous engaging, instructor-led, face-to-face workshops for individuals and organizations that provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct client-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based, and culturally safe interviews with different types of interviewees. Follow this link for more information on our workshops.
Do you provide online training?
Yes. Since 2020, The Forensic Practice has developed and delivered online, instructor-led workshops via Zoom. Our online workshops are designed to enhance engagement and learning and reduce Zoom fatigue. In addition, we have developed further online learning activities that can be delivered via Zoom, MS Teams, or WebEx.
What is StepWise 360?
StepWise 360 is the latest iteration of the StepWise approach to interviewing. It remains anchored in the empirically validated and court-proven StepWise structure and philosophy, and it incorporates research and applied knowledge from areas such as interviewing adult witnesses, victims, and suspects in criminal and child protection cases; evaluating truthfulness; assessing and managing risk for violence; trauma-informed practice; and adult learning. Follow this link to read about StepWise 360 in full.
Is StepWise 360 evidence-based?
Yes, StepWise 360 is an empirically based approach to interviewing. It is a technique that integrates “the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2006, p. 273). Follow this link for a review of the StepWise 360 and its empirical foundation.
How does StepWise 360 streamline interview training and learning?
Most professionals require the knowledge and skills to interview children and adults, as well as how to tailor these interviews when working with people with complex needs, trauma survivors, and reluctant interviewees. When you receive basic and advanced training from the same organization, you can focus on learning new skills, rather than how to translate the new material into the language you are accustomed to. This makes for a less frustrating experience and greater learning gains.
Has StepWise ever been challenged in court?
In the 30+ years since its development, there has never been a successful challenge of the StepWise in any court in any country.
Why is it important to take advanced interviewing training? I am a frontline interviewer.
As a frontline interviewer, a basic interviewing course will teach you to become a competent interviewer. However, if you need to navigate a variety of situations at work, if you want to feel confident no matter who you are interviewing, and if you want to be known as a genuine asset to your team, advanced interview training is essential. It will show you how to handle complex cases and how to interview people with various complex needs.
Why is it important to take advanced interviewing training? I am a supervisor.
As a supervisor, it’s important to ensure that your team gets the training they need. It shows them that they are valued and supported. Plus, it benefits both the individual and the organization if each interviewer has the skills to conduct any type of interview. Having such a team protects against job dissatisfaction and recruitment and retention problems.
Why is mentorship important for interviewers?
Research is clear. What people learn in a classroom does not easily translate to improved skills in the field. Even when training is effective, it is prone to lose its effectiveness over time. This is commonly known as interviewer drift. Mentorship protects against interviewer drift. Besides helping interviewers maintain their skills, regular sessions with a mentor contributes to confidence-building, developing new skills, peer support, and job satisfaction.
What is interview drift and what can I do to negate it?
Interview drift refers to the fact that we all tend to move away (or drift) from best practices if we stop focusing on reviewing and updating our interviewing skills. To protect yourself from interview drift, refer back to your training material, use your checklists, seek peer reviews and expert mentorship, participate in refresher courses, and seek advanced training.
For Organizations
What workshops does The Forensic Practice offer?
We have numerous engaging, instructor-led, face-to-face workshops for individuals and organizations that provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct client-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based, and culturally safe interviews with different types of interviewees. Follow this link for more information on our workshops.
Do you provide online training?
Yes. Since 2020, The Forensic Practice has developed and delivered online, instructor-led workshops via Zoom. Our online workshops are designed to enhance engagement and learning and reduce Zoom fatigue. In addition, we have developed further online learning activities that can be delivered via Zoom, MS Teams, or WebEx.
What is StepWise 360?
StepWise 360 is the latest iteration of the StepWise approach to interviewing. It remains anchored in the empirically validated and court-proven StepWise structure and philosophy, and it incorporates research and applied knowledge from areas such as interviewing adult witnesses, victims, and suspects in criminal and child protection cases; evaluating truthfulness; assessing and managing risk for violence; trauma-informed practice; and adult learning. Follow this link to read about StepWise 360 in full.
Is StepWise 360 evidence-based?
Yes, StepWise 360 is an empirically based approach to interviewing. It is a technique that integrates “the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2006, p. 273). Follow this link for a review of the StepWise 360 and its empirical foundation.
How does StepWise 360 streamline interview training and learning?
Most professionals require the knowledge and skills to interview children and adults, as well as how to tailor these interviews when working with people with complex needs, trauma survivors, and reluctant interviewees. When you receive basic and advanced training from the same organization, you can focus on learning new skills, rather than how to translate the new material into the language you are accustomed to. This makes for a less frustrating experience and greater learning gains.
Has StepWise ever been challenged in court?
In the 30+ years since its development, there has never been a successful challenge of the StepWise in any court in any country.
Why is it important to take advanced interviewing training? I am a frontline interviewer.
As a frontline interviewer, a basic interviewing course will teach you to become a competent interviewer. However, if you need to navigate a variety of situations at work, if you want to feel confident no matter who you are interviewing, and if you want to be known as a genuine asset to your team, advanced interview training is essential. It will show you how to handle complex cases and how to interview people with various complex needs.
Why is it important to take advanced interviewing training? I am a supervisor.
As a supervisor, it’s important to ensure that your team gets the training they need. It shows them that they are valued and supported. Plus, it benefits both the individual and the organization if each interviewer has the skills to conduct any type of interview. Having such a team protects against job dissatisfaction and recruitment and retention problems.
Why is mentorship important for interviewers?
Research is clear. What people learn in a classroom does not easily translate to improved skills in the field. Even when training is effective, it is prone to lose its effectiveness over time. This is commonly known as interviewer drift. Mentorship protects against interviewer drift. Besides helping interviewers maintain their skills, regular sessions with a mentor contributes to confidence-building, developing new skills, peer support, and job satisfaction.
What is interview drift and what can I do to negate it?
Interview drift refers to the fact that we all tend to move away (or drift) from best practices if we stop focusing on reviewing and updating our interviewing skills. To protect yourself from interview drift, refer back to your training material, use your checklists, seek peer reviews and expert mentorship, participate in refresher courses, and seek advanced training.