Verbal content analysis for the study of Verisimilitude (V1) in the System for Analysis of Validity in Evaluation (SAVE)

In the SAVE Metaprotocol (López, et al, 2018), Verisimilitude (V1) refers to that which has the appearance of truth, possibility of being believed, and with "absence of subjective incredibility". Corresponding to this section is everything related to the analysis of the content of the verbal message and which gives internal coherence to the subject's statement. This phase is obtained directly through the interview with the subject, which we record in order to be able to carry out the content analysis later. It can be using a criterial, structural, or linguistic analysis, or simply employing a study of the communicative pattern. Some examples of content analysis are Statement Validity Analysis (SVA) with its Criteria-Based Content Analysis or CBCA and its validity list. The CBCA is composed of 19 criteria used to assess the content of the statements and which to date has been admitted as court evidence in cases of possible child sexual offense. It is administered together with a validity checklist and its value as evidence depends on the scope of application (Köhnken, Manzanero & Scott 2015). The instrument called Reality Monitoring (RM), like the previous one is a tool used to assess the credibility of the testimony and that focuses on the semantic aspects that differentiate a true statement from a false or not very credible one (Raye & Johnson, 1980). Although in this aspect, we should not make the mistake of confusing credibility with veracity, since when assessing a testimony the truth as such does not exist, and depends on the functioning of our memory, which is not like a tape recorder and is not static, but is constantly exposed to changes and distortions. According to this model, the origin of our memories comes from two basic sources: External Memories, generated from the perception of real situations; and Internal Memories, the product of our imagination. The unconscious reasoning process that our mind follows to decide which information comes from an external source and which forms an internal one is called Reality Monitoring. Four qualitative attributes allow us to differentiate between these two types of memories:

Assessment of juveniles testimonies’ validity

The article presents a review of the English language publications concerning the history and the current state of differential psychological assessment of validity of testimonies produced by child and adolescent victims of crimes. The topicality of the problem in Russia is high due to the tendency of Russian specialists to use methodical means and instruments developed abroad in this sphere for forensic assessments of witness testimony veracity. A system of Statement Validity Analysis (SVA) by means of Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA) and Validity Checklist is described. The results of laboratory and field studies of validity of CBCA criteria on the basis of child and adult witnesses are discussed. The data display a good differentiating capacity of the method, however, a high level of error probability. The researchers recommend implementation of SVA in the criminal investigation process, but not in the forensic assessment. New perspective developments in the field of methods for differentiation of witness statements based on the real experience and fictional are noted. The conclusion is drawn that empirical studies and a special work for adaptation and development of new approaches should precede their implementation into Russian criminal investigation and forensic assessment practice